No Strings Attached
by JiffyKate
Summary: I got the rundown before I ever stepped through the doors: everyone is anonymous, no strings attached, no questions asked, and what happens in the club stays in the club. I got it. I thought it wasn't going to be a problem, but then I saw her. AH, ExB, M for lemons and language
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** **We don't own Twilight or any other identifiable entities. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

The lights flicker, alerting everyone that the program is about to begin. I place my empty glass on the bar and turn to the attractive blonde waiting for me.

"Are you ready?" she politely asks as she slips her hand into the crook of my elbow.

"As ready as I'll ever be," is my reply, and she laughs, leading me down a dark hallway.

We reach our destination, and she leaves me with a small group of men, all of whom look similar to me—expensive suits, clean-cut faces, and our expressions are equal parts nervousness and excitement.

An older woman steps out from behind a curtain and explains the rules of the game. It's pointless, really. We know what we've signed up for. It's the reason we're here, the reason we're pacing around like caged animals. We're just waiting for our turn to be released.

My name is called, and my body tenses. A blindfold covers my eyes, and my remaining senses are called to action. The mixture of smoke and perfume in the air assaults my nose while the taste of whiskey still lingers on my tongue. My skin tingles with excitement as my ears focus on the voices of the women in the room.

I'm led onto the stage and introduced to the crowd. Cheers and whistles greet me, causing confidence to overshadow my nerves. My guide, Tina, helps me slowly turn in a circle, making a brief stop to show the audience my backside. Again, the women sound appreciative.

Once I'm turned back around, Tina instructs me to remove my jacket, which I'm happy to do. Stage lights are fucking hot. A brief moment passes, and I'm told to remove my shirt. I know from previous visits that the fun is just about to begin.

I've been to this club before but only as a spectator. Tonight's my first time participating, and to say I'm excited would be putting it mildly.

It's amazing how the loss of my sight makes it so I can _feel_ everyone looking at me, watching me. It's thrilling, liberating, and my pulse speeds up in anticipation of what's next.

There's a hum—an energy—that takes over the room. I lick my lips and let out a deep breath, ready for action.

"Let's start the bidding at fifty dollars," Tina announces, and the crowd erupts.

I don't pay attention to the numbers being shouted, but there seems to be a bidding war going on. This fuels my eagerness, and my dick begins to stir.

Finally, someone is declared victorious. The applause is so loud I'm caught off guard momentarily when Tina places my hand into the hand of the winner. The warm, soft skin that surrounds my own puts me at ease, and I gladly let the woman lead me down the front steps of the stage. Voices shout words of congratulations and encouragement as she takes me through the crowd and away from the noise.

When she stops abruptly and pushes me against a wall, putting her lips to my ear, my dick stands at attention. "I can't wait to get my hands and mouth on you," she growls softly, and her warm breath on my skin makes me ache for her touch.

In the distance, the sounds of others fucking fill the air. As much as I love the visuals of sex, hearing people scream out in pleasure is simply intoxicating. To me, the sounds caused by an orgasm are almost as good as the feel of one.

We turn a corner, and the woman holding my hand stops, opening a door and leading me through. Once the door is close behind us, she sighs. The relief in her voice matches exactly how I feel.

I want her.

I have no idea what she looks like or what her name is, but she's all I want.

Her hands on my face is the only warning I get before her mouth attacks mine. Soft, sweet kisses don't exist here, only those that are raw and passionate, needy and devouring. Her fingers brush over my erection through my pants, and I hiss at the contact, causing her to groan.

Before I can recover from the heady kiss, she has my belt undone and my pants on the floor, guiding me backwards. She pushes on my shoulders until I'm sitting, and then her touch is gone. The sound of two heavy shoes hitting the floor is followed by the rustle of fabric, and my pulse quickens with the thought of her being naked. Listening to her undress is the sweetest torture, and I briefly worry I won't last long when I'm finally buried inside her.

Quick breaths leave her mouth. She doesn't sound nervous, just turned the fuck on, which makes me even harder, if that's possible. Her sweet, musky smell teases the air, making my mouth water. Knowing she's close, I reach out. The tips of my fingers touch skin, and I begin to explore, feeling her toned legs and working my way up to her hips. I squeeze her flesh, relishing how soft and full she is, before pulling her to me. My mouth connects with her bellybutton, and I kiss it, my tongue tracing the area around it, nipping at her flesh.

She runs her fingers through my hair, scratching my scalp, and I practically purr. I don't think I can wait any longer. I need release. I need inside her.

I slip my middle finger through her slick folds to see if she's ready for me, and holy shit, is she ever. I can't help but sink my finger as deep as it'll go. Her cries of ecstasy fill the room. Adding another finger, I pump them into her hot pussy, twisting them as I pull out. When I slide them into my mouth, tasting her, she gasps, so I know she's watching me.

I can't help the smirk. "You taste so good," I tell her, loving that her breathing has picked up and her grip on me has tightened. She's turned on. She wants me. And she tastes like good and evil all wrapped into one.

I want to taste more of her, have her mouth on me too, but I can't wait any longer. I have to fuck her. Now.

As if she read my mind, she rips a package open and then rubs her hand up and down my shaft a few times before sliding a condom into place. I smile when she straddles me, loving that she's just as impatient as I am. This time, my mouth finds a nipple, and I greedily suck it into my mouth. Her breasts are full and heavy in my hands, and I'm hopeful that I'll get the opportunity to fuck them, too.

The woman whimpers, her hips gyrating… searching for friction.

I grab my dick and place it at her entrance. "Take it," I tell her. "Take my cock."

She slides down on me, and I give her a moment to adjust to my girth before grasping her hips again and moving them up and down my dick.

"Oh, fuck," she moans, and I couldn't agree more. I keep my lips latched onto her tits, carefully biting her nipple every time I thrust into her. She pushes my shoulders until I'm lying down flat, but she stays sitting up in order to ride my cock.

I love the blindfold, but I wish I could watch her. She moves with wild abandon under my hands, and the smack I give her ass only encourages her, making her yelp and then moan, "Oh, God."

I'm not God, but right now, I feel like one.

She gets louder and louder as I feel her pussy start to tighten and spasm around me. I find her clit with my thumb, and she screams as her orgasm takes over her body in waves. It seems like there's more than one. I allow her to squeeze and ride it out until I can't take it any longer. The sensations are too much for me to handle, and I flip her onto her back so I can speed up my thrusts.

Grabbing for her leg, I hold it up by my shoulder, angling myself to go deep, wanting to feel her come again. I press into her clit. "Oh, fuck. You feel so damn good. So warm, so tight," I tell her, feeling my balls tighten. Chills cover my skin, and I fucking come like I've never come before. The spasms are so forceful I can hardly hold myself up. I'm still recovering, groaning at the sensation of her hips slowly meeting mine, when she reaches up and removes my blindfold.

We share a brief moment of eye contact, and I'm not surprised at all that she's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. And it's not just the lack of blood in my brain. She's fucking gorgeous.

Suddenly, her soft, warm body tenses, and she begins to move, working her way out from under me. "Thanks," she says, standing and immediately going for her clothes lying over the chair in the corner of the room. I watch as she slips a white lacy dress over her head. Her wavy brown hair is messy and falls loosely around her shoulders. Between the mind-blowing orgasm and the vision of her, she has me entranced. It's not until she starts to put her foot into a black combat boot that I realize she's going to leave, causing my heart to leap into my throat. I'm still lying here with my cock out. She can't just leave.

"Where are you going?" I ask, my voice sounding a bit panicked.

She looks up at me halfway through pulling her second boot on and just stares me down. Her eyes squint, and her brows furrow. "I'm leaving." Her tone is clipped, and she sounds annoyed, nothing like the breathy, panting moans from ten minutes ago.

"Yeah," I say, sliding off the bed. "I see that." I pull my pants back on, tucking my dick in safely before zipping up. "But I don't even know your name."

She stands there and looks at me like I have a third head, but she doesn't say anything, just continues putting herself back together. Her fingers comb through her hair, trying to tame it. She has the freshly-fucked look perfected, and I smirk again, knowing I did that to her.

When she turns like she's going to leave, I try to say something, anything that'll make her stay.

"That…" I say, pointing back to the bed. "That was phenomenal." I sound like a lawyer arguing his case, daring her to disagree with me.

She turns around and sighs deeply, crossing her arms over her chest. "It was pretty good." The quirk of her eyebrow and twist of her lips makes me want to press her up against the wall and show her pretty good. It was fucking at its finest, and she knows it.

"Pretty good?" I question, my voice getting louder.

"Look," she says in exasperation, "I've gotta go." She doesn't give me another second, not even a backwards glance. She just picks her bag up off the floor, tosses it onto her shoulder, and walks out, leaving me there with a semi hard-on. She still turns me the fuck on, even though she's blowing me off.

"Thanks!" I yell out the door behind her. I want to run after her, but she's apparently done here. Looking back into the room, I check to make sure I didn't leave anything. When I see the blindfold on the crumpled bed, I grab it and stick it in my pocket. Leaning down, I take a whiff of the sheets. They smell like sex—like her and me. I think about stripping them off and taking them too, but instead, I walk out.

I know it's supposed to be fucking without any strings attached, and I was okay with that, in theory. I thought I could do it—get my dick wet, get in, and get out—but now I'm not so sure. That might have been the single most amazing sexual experience of my life, and I don't even know the girl's name.

I'm obviously going to have to do this again. It can't end like that. I need to at least know her name and maybe what her plans are for the next fifty years. At the very least, I need to fuck her one more time.

* * *

 **A/Ns:**

 **Jiff:** Well, hello, there! How's everyone doing?

 **Jenny Kate:** I'm gonna guess that everyone's doing better after reading that. *winks* #SmokeEmIfYouGotEm

 **Jiff** : *fans self* We do love starting a story with a lemon.

 **Jenny Kate:** For those "sex by chapter 10" people, we've got you covered.

 **Jiff** : Thanks for joining us on this new adventure! We're very excited about this story and we hope you enjoy reading it. We'll be sticking to our usual posting days of Tuesdays and Fridays and, as usual, be sure to stop by our FB group for the usual shenanigans.

 **Jenny Kate:** We'd like to thank the awesome people who make up Team Jiffy Kate: Geekchic12, beta extraordinaire, and our fabulous pre-readers, Rachel and Pamela.

Hope y'all have a great weekend!


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** **We don't own Twilight or any other identifiable entities. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

"So," Emmett says, sitting on the edge of my desk. "How did it go?"

"It went," I tell him, suddenly feeling close-mouthed about the whole thing.

"Yeah, I was there," he says, pausing while he stares me down, expecting me to spill. "Details, man!" He stands up and places his hands on my desk, leveling me with his stare. "I want details."

"She was great."

"Just _great_?" he asks, making it sound like an insult.

I let out a deep breath through my nose and run a hand through my hair. "It was phenomenal. The best fuck of my life. Is that what you want to hear?"

His face splits into a wide, knowing grin, and he nods his head. " _That's_ what I'm talkin' about." He claps his hands together and walks around to the pool table that sits in my office. "You wanna head back over there with me again this week?"

Racking the balls, he waits for my reply, but honestly, I don't know. Sure, it was pure ecstasy, but what if I don't get so lucky next time? What if the next time is horrible? I could get a wanna-be porn star and have to listen to twenty minutes of stupid little moans and cries. Or she could be a squealer. I've never liked that. What I really want is to know _her_ name. I want to be with _her_ again.

I don't want another random fuck.

Emmett breaking the balls brings me out of my thoughts. "I don't know. I might be busy this week."

"What's with you, Ed?" He pockets a stripe and continues around the table, looking for his next move. "You've been acting weird since last week. I thought maybe it was because you didn't like it, but you say it was phenomenal, so what gives?"

"That's the thing. It was _so_ phenomenal I don't want to try it again."

He's going in for another shot when he suddenly stops, his eyes still on the green felt of the pool table. "So, you're saying… What _are_ you saying?" he asks, looking up at me with a confused expression.

"I'm saying _she_ was phenomenal."

"Oh, shit. You didn't get all weird on her, did you? Look, man. I got you into the club on my word. You mess this up, and I'll beat the shit out of you. Do you know how hard it is to even get an invite?" His face is turning red, and his eyes are squinted in accusation.

I got the rundown before I ever stepped through the doors: everyone is anonymous, no strings attached, no questions asked, and what happens in the club stays in the club. I got it. I thought it wasn't going to be a problem. But that was before I saw her.

"What happened?" Emmett asks, balancing his stick against the pool table.

"Nothing. I didn't do anything, but I thought maybe we'd hang out for a while… Maybe have another round," I admit, but just hearing those words come out of my mouth makes me realize where I went wrong. I got attached. I wanted more. "But I didn't do anything. I wanted to, but I didn't. She said she had to leave, and she did. That's it."

"You know if you see her again, you can't act like you have some claim on her. There's no caveman bullshit at the club. It's her prerogative, man, just like it's yours. That's the beauty of it. No strings attached—"

"Yeah, I got it. I know all of that," I say, cutting him off.

"So, you wanna give it another shot? Maybe fuck her outta your system?" he offers.

"I don't know if I can."

"She was that good, huh?"

"Fuck, yeah," I say, shaking my head as thoughts of her come flashing back in my mind. The way she felt in my hands. The way I fit inside her. Her smell. Her taste. Those deep chocolate eyes. That wild brown hair. The contrast between the lacy dress and those fucking combat boots.

I want her.

"Listen, dude. Sometimes," Emmett begins, scrubbing a hand down his face. "Sometimes you hook up with someone who completely rocks your world. It doesn't happen to everyone, and it rarely happens more than once. Someone like her is an enigma. She got under your skin. I get it. But you've gotta drop it. Let it go."

"Yeah," I say in agreement, but I don't mean it. I don't want to do any of that. I kinda hate that she got under my skin, but now that she's there, I want to keep her there. Maybe I will go back to the club. Maybe she'll be there. Maybe I can talk to her. "I'll go back with you this week."

"There ya go," Emmett says, slapping me on my back. "Hop back in that saddle and ride 'em." He winks and grins. He's completely ridiculous as he pretends to gallop around my office.

"I don't wanna get on the block again, though. Not this week. I think I'll just sit back and observe, have a few drinks."

"Whatever you think, but I'm tellin' you, another woman, a different pussy… that's what you need. It's just what the doctor ordered."

"I'll think about it."

**NSA**

"So, did you think about it?" Emmett asks loudly over the music playing. The lights are down, and bodies grind against each other on the dance floor. This is the pre-party to the big show. A little warm-up, if you will.

"I'm just gonna hang back for tonight," I tell him, letting my eyes roam over the people, searching for her.

"Don't do anything stupid," Emmett says with a knowing look. "I know you dig her, but remember what I said."

"No strings attached," I say, nodding my head. "I get it. Don't worry."

I really don't have any plans of doing anything to compromise the agreement. I just want to see her, and I need a few drinks. It's been a crazy week at the office. Advertisement can be stressful sometimes, or maybe Emmett and I just make it that way. Everything in our office always turns into a competition, and we've had season tickets for the Rangers on the line the last few months. Mr. Stephens promised them to us if we steal the McDavid account out from under our competition. I really want some Rangers tickets. They're supposed to have a good season next year. I also want to show the losers at Friedman and Associates who's boss. So Emmett and I have been going above and beyond to land this account. We've even slept a few nights at the office this past week. We both deserve a night to blow off some steam.

I must say, I'm a little jealous that Emmett will be getting pussy tonight, and there's a good chance I won't.

Maybe I should reconsider and go on the block.

Sure, I could go to a normal club and pick up a girl, but then I'd have to call her and take her out on a date. The reason I agreed to come here with Emmett in the first place, besides his incessant begging, was because I just needed to get laid. I thought I wanted what this place offered. I didn't expect to get this worked up over a one-night stand. That's girl bullshit.

 _When did I grow a vagina?_

I take a deep breath, slapping my hand down on the bar. Emmett's right. I need to fuck her right out of my head.

I turn to find Tina and ask her to put me on the list, but I see _her_ instead. She's traded out the white lace dress for a red one that dips down between her tits. Her hair is pulled up off her shoulders, exposing her long, slender neck. My mouth begins to water as my dick stiffens in my pants.

I watch her mingle with the crowd. A guy walks up to her and offers her a drink, but she declines. She lingers by the side of the stage, but she doesn't interact much. When the lights flicker to let everyone know the bidding is getting ready to begin, I make my way around the back of the room, squeezing between people, until I'm standing right behind her.

Leaning in, I smell her. It's the same smell I've dreamed about since last week. It's sweet but spicy—intoxicating. I want to run my nose up her neck and inhale her until I've had my fill, and then I'd like to taste her. But first, I need to talk to her.

I glance around to see who's watching, but I know Emmett is getting ready to go up on stage, so I don't know what I'm worried about. No one else here cares who I'm talking to, but my stomach feels nervous.

She must sense that I'm watching her because before I have a chance to lean in and say anything, she turns around. When she realizes who I am, her eyes squint, and her jaw tightens. "Hey," she says, looking me up and down.

"Hey," I say with a nod of my head and a slight smile, hoping to ease any reservations she might have. It usually works like a charm.

She turns back around and takes a step closer to the stage, away from me, which in turn makes me take a step closer to her. I just want to be near her.

"So," I say quietly, leaning in closer. "I meant to ask you the other night what your name is."

"I wouldn't have given it to you." She looks over her shoulder. "It's not part of the deal."

I mean to laugh quietly, but it comes out much louder. This woman is so damn sexy. And the fact that she plays hard to get makes me want her even more. "I know it's not part of the deal, but I just figured that since we—"

"Let me guess," she interrupts. "You figured that since we fucked, you deserved to know my name?" Her eyebrow rises, and she purses her lips. "Well, here's the deal. I bid on you. It's what I wanted. So you don't get to _figure_ anything. Now, leave me alone."

A lady's voice comes through the speaker we're standing next to as she introduces the first person to be bid on. When a hand goes up in front of my face and I realize she's bidding on him, my heart begins to pound in my chest. Someone else raises their hand, upping the bid, and I begin watching every hand that goes up, hoping they'll outbid her. When a busty blonde ends up winning the war, I let out a sigh of relief.

When the second guy comes up on stage, the beautiful brunette in front of me bids again. It ends up being a battle between her and a woman on the other side of the room. I see her glance across at the woman and then back up at the guy on stage. I don't know what comes over me, but when she lifts her hand to bid again, I reach up and pull her arm down. The woman down at the other end wins the bid, and the one in front of me is now shooting daggers with her eyes.

"What the _fuck_ is your problem?" she spits out, a little louder than I would like. A couple of people standing nearby look over at us. She grabs my arm, and I immediately give into her, loving how my body feels when she touches me. Forcefully, she pulls me to the back of the room before she spins around and faces me. Her eyes are full of fire, and her stance is strong. "You don't get it, do you?" she asks with a wicked smile on her face.

"I just… I didn't want you bidding on that guy," I tell her, stumbling over my words, trying to make my actions seem like they make sense. "You can have me for free. You don't even have to bid."

"Oh, my God." She rolls her eyes and glances up at the ceiling as if she's trying to rein in her fury. "Listen," she says, putting her hand on my chest and pushing me back. "This is obviously not the scene for you. Why don't you leave before I have Sam over there see you out?" she demands as she motions to the guy standing by the door with arms as big as tree trunks.

When I see that she's serious, and not wanting the wrath of Emmett if I were to get kicked out of this place, I slowly step back and nod my head before turning and walking out the doors. It kills me to walk away from her, knowing she's probably going to end up bidding on some lucky motherfucker and he's going to get a taste of heaven— _my_ taste of heaven.

I leave wanting her more than I did last week, and that's saying a lot.

* * *

 **A/Ns:**

 **Jenny Kate:** Yeah, this no strings attached thing might be a little harder than Edward originally thought.

 **Jiff:** Sorry, I couldn't concentrate with the words "Edward" and "harder" in the same sentence.

 **Jenny Kate:** He's definitely harder.

 **Jiff:** So is Bella but in a non-sexual way. I kinda like it. A lot.

 **Jenny Kate:** She's a bit of a ball-buster. No pun intended.

 **Jiff:** She needs to be nice to Edward's balls. Eventually, anyway.

 **Jenny Kate:** And what about Emmett? Who loves Emmett already? *raises hand* I can't wait to see Lynette's reaction post today.

 **Jiff:** *raises hand* I can't get the image of Emmett galloping like a horse out of my brain and I'm not complaining.

 **Jenny Kate:** Ride 'em, cowboy!

 **Jiff:** More like, ride ME, cowboy!

 **Jenny Kate:** Get it, gurl! *channeling my inner Rachel*

 **Jiff:** Speaking of Rachel, let's thank our Team Jiffy Kate members: Geekchic12, Rachel (J Ray Fanfic) and Pamela! We love you, ladies!

See ya Friday!


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** **We don't own Twilight or any other identifiable entities. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

"What the fuck, dude?" Emmett asks as he hangs from my door frame. His scrunched forehead and eyebrows tells me I have disappointed the beast.

"I got cold feet." I try believing that shit so he'll believe that shit.

"Bullshit."

"There weren't any women there that looked attractive, so I bailed." _Lie_.

"Bullshit."

"Fine," I groan. "I just wasn't into it. Once I got there, everything felt wrong. I didn't feel like going through with it." Frustrated, I stand up abruptly and let my chair roll into the wall behind me.

"So, let me get this straight. All you had to do was put on a little blindfold, walk up on stage, and get laid. How could you not _feel_ like it? You're speaking some broke ass foreign language. It doesn't compute." He folds his arms over his chest and stands there, waiting for more of an explanation. Sometimes, Emmett's the one who acts like a fucking girl, always wanting details and shit. And talk about micromanaging. Holy fuck. This dude is the king. "She was there, wasn't she?" he asks, quirking an eyebrow. "She was there, and you got spooked. Please tell me you didn't try to talk to her again."

I stand there, facing off with him, trying to think of something to say to get him off my dick.

"Holy shit," he says, taking my non-response as a response. "You did, didn't you?" He begins to pace the floor in front of my desk, worry written all over him. "Did they kick you out? Did _she_ have you kicked out?"

"No." I roll my eyes, thinking back to our confrontation and how fucking sexy she looked when she was pissed off.

"Okay, okay. That's good. What did she say?"

"Nothing." _Lie._

"Really? She didn't say anything at all?"

"She asked me to leave," I say quietly, staring out the window of my office. I'm not ready for his psycho bullshit. It's just a fucking club. He acts like he's going to get excommunicated from pussy or some shit.

"Fuck." He scrubs his face, squeezing his eyes shut. "Maybe you're not cut out for this after all."

"That's what she said," I admit, sitting back down in my chair and leaning my head against the wall. "I still can't believe she told me to leave. I thought maybe once she saw I was just a regular guy that she might want to talk to me, maybe have a drink… go on a regular date."

"Some girls don't want regular," he says, leaning over my desk. "She's there for a reason. You should've stuck to the rules. Who knows? You might've gotten lucky, and she might've bid on you again."

 _Would she?_ Just thinking about it makes my heart beat faster and my dick stir in my pants. Maybe I should give it one more shot, go up on stage, give her a chance to bid on me again.

"I know what you're thinking," Emmett says, backing away from my desk. "But I think you should probably give it a few weeks before you go back. If she said anything to Sam, he might have you on the blacklist. Let the dust settle, and then you can give it another shot." He shakes his head and lets out a frustrated sigh.

I nod my head in agreement. I need a few weeks anyway. I need to figure out if I even want to go back. And I'm buried in work, so I need to keep my head screwed on right and land this McDavid account. And snag those Rangers tickets. I can smell the peanuts and cracker jacks from here.

**NSA**

I watch Emmett as he stands beside me with a smug, satisfied look on his face.

"You went to the club last night, didn't you?" I ask as we strap on harnesses to climb the big-ass wall in front of us. Emmett and I have a lot of things in common. We both love the challenge of working in the competitive world of advertising. We're adrenaline junkies. We'll do just about anything once. Our weekend adventures take us on airplanes, bungee cords, fast motorcycles, and faster women. It's why I decided to give the club a try. I'm always up for a new adventure.

"Yep," Emmett says with a grin on his face.

"How was it?" I ask. What I really want to know is if she was there. It's been over a week since she told me to leave. I decided it was best to give the whole club scene a break. But I've thought about her every day since, hoping I might run into her somewhere… anywhere—gas station, grocery store, walking down the street. The fact that we live in a big city and I'd never seen her before that night doesn't bode well for another chance encounter, though.

Emmett sighs and shakes his head. "Dude, I think I owe you an apology." The serious look on his face makes my stomach drop a little and not in a good way. Not like when I'm jumping off a hundred-foot bridge.

"Why?" I ask in a hard tone. I stop adjusting the harness I'm wearing and start climbing up the wall, needing a distraction.

Emmett stays silent for a minute. I look back, and he's still standing on the ground, fiddling with his rope.

 _What the fuck?_

"Emmett?" He looks up at me and starts to climb, quickly reaching where I'm hanging on to the wall.

His face is sheepish, and whatever the fuck he needs to tell me, he better say it quick before I punch him for no good reason. It must be bad for him to have so much trouble spitting it out.

"I—I was with this girl at the club the other night," he begins, and it makes me feel sick to my stomach. "She was..." He sighs, shaking his head. "Fuck, Edward. She was everything. And when I left, I started thinking about what you were saying and how you felt. I thought you just weren't cut out for the club, but then I met her, and she fucked my whole world up."

"What does she look like?" I growl, stalled out on the wall. Thankfully, there's no one coming up behind us and no one close by, because I swear if he starts describing _her_ —my girl—I'll kill him, right here, hanging from these damn ropes.

Realization flashes across Emmett's face, and he pales. "Edward, dude. I'd never."

I know that. I know he'd never intentionally fuck a girl I was into. I know him better than that. But what if he fucked a girl I was into and didn't know it? "Just tell me what she looks like." The red hot anger bubbling up inside me is unfamiliar. I'm not usually hot-tempered, but something about the idea of Emmett, or any other fucker, being anywhere near her pisses me the hell off.

He hesitates for a second and then says, "She, uh, had these amazing blue eyes… like the bluest eyes I've ever seen."

I let out an audible sigh of relief and shake my head. Did I really just get that worked up over someone whose name I don't even know? _What the fuck is wrong with me?_

"And she's so fucking tall," Emmett continues. "Like, almost as tall as me, without heels," he says in awe.

"It's not her." I close my eyes and take a deep breath, refocusing my energy back to the wall.

"Thank fuck." He throws his head back and hangs off the wall, letting the harness support him. When he looks back up, he starts climbing, and I follow in step. "So, tell me about her. I need to be prepared, just in case."

I laugh, but there's little humor behind it. This whole thing is so messed up. Why couldn't she just tell me her name and let me take her out on a date? "She's shorter, kinda petite, but the way she can level you with her stare makes her seem taller, ya know? And she smells fucking amazing… like sugar with a hint of spice. She's got this wild brown hair that matches her eyes, and both times I've seen her, she was wearing these beat-up combat boots." I say the last part and smirk. "She's unlike anyone I've ever met before." That's all I'm willing to say to him about her right now. Normally, I'd go on about a girl's tits or the way she felt when I was inside her. Emmett and I are worse than a bunch of gossiping girls. We usually tell each other all kinds of shit, but not this time.

"So, what are you gonna do about it?" he asks.

"Honestly, I have no idea." I think on it for a second and wonder briefly if it's all about the chase. Maybe I want this girl so damn bad because I can't have her? "I think when shit settles down, I'll go back to the club and hook up with someone else, fuck her outta my system. I don't have time for dates and shit anyway."

"Yeah. Sure," Emmett says. "That usually works." He doesn't sound very convincing. Normally, Emmett is all for the no-strings-attached, no-questions-asked rules of the club. He firmly believes that life is just one big fuck fest. But something seems different with him. His tone makes me think he's second-guessing his ways.

"What about you?" I ask, working up a sweat as I pull my body up to the next rock that's jutting out.

"I don't know, man."

"Did you try to talk to her?" I ask, knowing this change in attitude has to be about the chick he fucked.

"I tried to abide by the rules, and I tried to stay cool, but fuck if watching her walk out wasn't the hardest thing I've had to do. Actually, fuck that," he says, grunting as he pulls his mammoth body up higher. "I went back the next night, trying to get a glimpse of her," he admits, focused on the top of the wall we're approaching. I smirk, because I love that the tables have been turned on his ass. Now he knows how it feels. "I just went to have a few drinks and hang out. I didn't even think she was there until I saw her walk past me with a guy in tow. I almost tackled the guy and carried her out of there over my shoulder, but somehow I managed to stay glued to the bar stool. She never even looked my way." His voice sounds pained, and I feel for him. I don't know what I would've done if I'd had to witness that. I'd probably have lost my shit.

"Fuck, Em. That sucks." I climb up one more rock, wondering how we went from two carefree dudes to schmucks who cry over girls. "You know what? Fuck 'em. We don't need that shit."

"Yeah," Emmett grunts.

"So are you going back next week?"

"I don't know," he says as we reach the top. "Maybe you're right. Maybe we should fuck them out of our heads."

I nod in agreement as we rappel back down the wall, but I have my doubts that going back to the club is the cure for what ails us. Somehow, a woman I know very little about has become all I think about. I'm not sure fucking someone else will get her out of my head. I'm not sure I could even get my dick up for someone else right now.

Normally, after exerting so much energy, I feel better, but as my feet hit the floor, I feel more worked up than I did when I got here.

* * *

 **A/Ns:**

 **Jiff:** These guys crack me up!

 **Jenny Kate:** Me too! I kinda love them. Even though they are a mess.

 **Jiff:** Hot messes, both of them!

 **Jenny Kate:** Emphasis on the HOT part. I'd like them to climb my rope.

 **Jiff:** I'd be all over them like a harness, JS.

 **Jenny Kate:** How many rope climbing references can we make? Nevermind. I'm sure we could be here all day.

 **Jiff** : All day, for sure. Feel free to share your favorites if you choose to review!

 **Jenny Kate:** Speaking of reviews, such a mixed bag of reactions to this story so far!

 **Jiff** : Y'all definitely keep us on our toes. Just remember, there's always a method to our madness and we're only in chapter three!

 **Jenny Kate:** We really appreciate all of the reviews, alerts, and favorites we've received! Reading through your reactions is one of our favorite things to do! And, if you're not in our Facebook group, you should come join us! Lynette's Reaction Posts have been on point, as always!

 **Jiff:** Thanks to our fab team: Super Beta GeekChic12 and Kick-Ass Pre Readers Rachel (J Ray Fanfic) and Pamela!

 **Jenny Kate:** We don't do this often enough, but if you're looking for recommendations for other fics to read and you haven't given Geeky or Rachel's stories a shot, you're missing out! You can find them both on FFN by looking up GeekChic12 and JennaRay. They're not just our beta and pre-reader, they're AMAZING writers!

Have a great weekend!


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** **We don't own Twilight or any other identifiable entities. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

Tonight's the night. It's been three weeks since I've been here. Emmett thinks it's safe to come back, under strict orders to not talk to her if I see her. I agreed to it, but I can't make any promises. I just need to see her. I need to see if she still has the same effect on me.

When I walk into the club, the buzz I felt the first night I came here is thick in the air. The lights are low. The music is pumping through the speakers. There are women dressed to kill and drinks flowing freely. Emmett and I pre-gamed before coming tonight, hoping to loosen ourselves up enough to get a grip and get up on that stage.

It's the first step in Operation: Fuck The Women Out Of Our Heads.

"Let's do this," Emmett says as he tosses back another shot of 1800. I do the same and nod my head. I'm to the point where I don't even need a chaser, which means I should be able to do this without reservation, but she's still there in the back of my mind. I've let my eyes roam the room, searching her out, but I haven't seen that mess of brown hair anywhere.

Emmett slaps my shoulder and then grabs on to my suit coat, pulling me toward the hallway where we line up to go on stage. We've already put our names down for the night.

"Good to see you boys back," Tina says, winking as she walks down the line, checking off her list. "Are we ready?"

Most of the guys are loud in their approval, but I notice Emmett doesn't say much. Neither do I. He turns around and gives me a pointed look before slipping his blindfold down over his eyes and allowing Tina to walk him up on stage.

I hear the crowd cheer as she introduces him and starts the bidding process.

My stomach is in my throat. I shouldn't be nervous. It should be easier this time.

I continue to listen to the bidding as it goes higher and higher. Finally, a winner is announced. I'm a second from bolting when Tina pops her head back in and tells me I'm up. Turning to look at the exit, I think about it, but then say fuck it and slip the blindfold down, allowing her to lead me onto the stage.

Even though my eyes are covered, I can still feel the heat from the bright lights, and a few beads of sweat pop up on my forehead.

"Let's start the bidding at fifty dollars," Tina announces. This feels like the first time, but deep down, I know it's not going to be anything like it. I had hoped that she might bid on me, but I didn't see her. Hell, she probably wouldn't bid on me even if she were here. She was so pissed the last time I saw her, demanding for me to leave. Thinking of that night and the fire in her eyes causes my dick to twitch. I'm completely unaware of my surroundings, lost in my nerves and thoughts of her when Tina announces a winner.

I swallow thickly as a hand grips my arm. The woman leading me doesn't say anything as we walk through the crowd. Part of me thinks I would know if it was her if I could just hear her voice… or smell her. I can't get those things out of my mind. They're what I think about on a daily basis when I'm jacking off in the shower.

A door opens, and I'm pulled inside. The hand that was touching my arm begins to push my jacket off my shoulders, and I allow it. She pushes me back until my knees hit the bed, and I sit, reaching out to feel her.

The second her lips are on mine, I know they're all wrong. My hands move up her legs to her hips, and they're all wrong too. They're too bony, not enough curves. Her smell is flowery, like roses, not the sweet and spicy I was hoping for.

I don't want to do this.

This is all wrong.

 _She's_ all wrong.

She makes quick work of the buttons on my shirt but leaves it on and moves down to the button of my slacks, sliding the zipper down and going straight for my cock, which is confused as shit. It's semi-hard due to the touch and excitement, but not as hard as it would be if it were _her_.

Her mouth assaults mine again, and I don't return the kiss.

"What's the matter, baby?" she asks, her voice too high-pitched, too nice. "Are you nervous? Lay back and let me make you feel good."

I do as she tells me, but the second her mouth touches my cock, I push her off. "I can't," I say, ripping the blindfold off. When my eyes adjust, I see the startled look in the blue eyes looking back at me. She's attractive. Her blonde hair is long and straight. She'd be a girl I would've hit on or been happy to take home a couple of months ago, but not now.

"I'm sorry," I tell her. "I just. This isn't my scene." I repeat the words that were said to me a few weeks ago, realizing they're true.

She covers her bare breasts, and her expression changes from startled to mad, or maybe hurt. "Just go." She looks away toward the door, and I take the opportunity to button my pants back up and grab my jacket.

"Sorry," I tell her once more before leaving the room. I know this is probably the last time I'll be able to come here. There's no way they'll let me in after this. The only thing that pisses me off about that is that I'll probably never see _her_ again, but that's probably for the best.

I've gotta move the fuck on.

When I'm finally outside and the night air hits me, I take a deep breath and rake my hand through my hair, trying to get a grip. I rode with Emmett, so I walk to his Hummer and lean against the side of it, taking a minute to wrap my mind around what just happened. I watch as a few people straggle in and out of the club. From the outside, it looks like a warehouse. There're no signs, nothing signifying what goes on inside those walls. It's part of the attraction. It's exclusive, elusive. Tons of people want to get on the list. It took Emmett months to get me in, and now I've fucked it all up. It's not like I was serious about it. It was just another adventure, something new to try.

I never expected to meet someone who would fuck my head up so bad.

"I didn't think I'd see you back here."

The familiar voice makes the little hairs on the back of my neck stand up and my head jerks toward the sound of gravel crunching. It's her. She's standing about ten feet away, not nearly close enough, and wearing a tight black dress and those fucking combat boots. Her hair is pulled up on one side, but it's still messy. She has a backpack tossed over her shoulder. It's kind of weird. Most girls carry purses, not big, bulky backpacks.

"I, uh…" I stumble over my words, not knowing what to say. "Yeah, well, here I am."

It's dark, but we're standing close to a street light, and it allows me to see a small smile on her lips. "Did you get what you came for?" she asks suggestively, nodding to the club entrance.

Her boldness and the fact she's not demanding me to leave shocks me. "No," I say, laughing harshly under my breath.

She tilts her head like she's trying to figure me out. "Well, I've gotta go," she says, looking down at the phone in her hand. "I'm running late."

"Okay," I say, nodding like an idiot, trying desperately to think of something intelligent to say but coming up blank. She makes me stupid. "Do you need a ride?"

"No." She smirks and starts walking away. "But thanks," she says over her shoulder. Before I can say anything else, she's gone. She slips into a beat-up Volkswagen and cranks it up. The dress, the boots, the ride… Everything about her makes me want to know more.

As she's driving off and I'm watching her taillights, I think of a million questions I should've asked her.

 _What's your name?_

 _Wanna go out sometime?_

 _Can I call you?_

But it's too late because she's gone.

The fact that she was in there and probably with some other man makes my fists clench. My jaw tightens as I try to get my temper in check, because right now, I want to walk back in there and beat the shit out of every guy who might've slept with her.

 _Why does she come here?_

 _Where is she going?_

So many questions, and I probably won't ever be able to ask them. I don't think I can come here and see her and know she's been or will be with someone else. It'll kill me, or I'll kill them.

"I wondered where you took off to," Emmett says, walking up to his truck. "I thought you'd be at the bar." He unlocks the doors, and I get in without saying anything. His voice sounds almost as wrecked as I feel. We both sit in silence as he pulls out of the parking lot.

"That was fucked up," Emmett finally says, leaning back in his seat as he drives us away from the club.

"Tell me about it," I mutter, rubbing my temples to try to rid my brain of the clusterfuck I've managed to get myself into.

"I took the blindfold off when we got to the room," he says quietly. "I just had to know."

"So, did you fuck her?" I ask, wondering if that's what I should've done. Maybe it would've done the trick. Maybe the blonde would've rocked my world, and I wouldn't be sitting here wondering how I can track down a gorgeous brunette when the only thing I know about her is that she's beautiful and she drives a fucking Volkswagen.

"Yeah, but I wasn't into it. She was taller, but her hair was jet black. She was decent. It was just…" He stops, running a hand through his hair and exhaling a deep breath. "I don't know, man."

"Wrong?" I ask.

"Yeah, _she_ was just all wrong."

"I know the feeling." I'm weirdly relieved that he went through with it and is still messed up. The last thing I need is regret over fucking the wrong girl.

"What happened with you?"

"I bailed."

"Shit."

"Yeah," I sigh. "Probably won't be on the list anymore."

"Probably for the best."

"I guess so." I lean back in the seat and rest my arm on the door. "But I saw her."

"Really? Before we went on stage?"

"No, after. Just a few minutes before you walked out."

"Did she say anything?"

"Yeah, she said she didn't think she'd see me there again."

"Did you get her name?"

"No," I tell him, getting more frustrated with myself for not getting my head out of my ass. "She said she was running late, and then she was gone."

"Well, shit, man."

"Yeah."

"Now what the fuck are you gonna do?"

"I'm going to forget about her, and I won't be going back to the club."

I know it's a lie. I might not go back to the club, but there is no way in hell I can forget about her.

* * *

 **A/Ns:**

 **Jiff:** Well, he tried to screw his mystery girl out of his system but it didn't quite work, did it?

 **Jenny Kate:** Yeah, mission failed.

 **Jiff:** Can't say I'm surprised. At least he got to talk to her for a little bit.

 **Jenny Kate:** Yeah, but she left before he could get any pertinent information… like her name!

 **Jiff:** Details, details. He's a man with a plan and he's on a mission! Or, something like that.

 **Jenny Kate:** A mission with no destination. LOL

 **Jiff:** Destination: In Her Pants Again. How's that?

 **Jenny Kate:** I like it. Now, let's see how he manages to carry out this mission.

 **Jiff:** With Emmett by his side, how can he go wrong? *dies laughing*

 **Jenny Kate:** Emmett McCarty, Wingman Extraordinaire.

 **Jiff:** Everyone needs a team. Speaking of…see what I did there? Let's thank our amazing team Geeky, Rachel, and Pamela!

Thanks to everyone who has stuck around for this one. We'll see y'all on Friday!


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** **We don't own Twilight or any other identifiable entities. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

"Damn, you need to get laid," Emmett says, breathing heavily as he rides up beside me and stops. Taking his helmet off, he pulls out his water bottle from his backpack and wipes the sweat off his forehead. "I'm all for extreme sports, but you're about to kill me out here today."

"I just need a good burn to help clear my head." I wipe the sweat off my brow and squirt some water in my mouth and then on my hair before restrapping my helmet. "Come on," I tell him as I begin to ride up the hill. "Let's hit a couple more trails before dark."

On our way back down the last trail, I feel my back tire cut loose. In the dim light, I can't tell where I'm going, but the next thing I know, me and my bike are barreling down a hill—separately. A rock gouges my leg and then my back. Something sharp hits the corner of my head, and then nothing.

"Edward!" Emmett yells. I must've blacked out for a minute. His voice is up above me, but it's loud and alarmed. "Edward, damn it. Answer me!"

"Shut the fuck up," I groan, rolling over and feeling a searing pain in my leg.

"You scared the shit out of me," he says, sliding down the hill and stopping himself right above me. "Are you hurt?"

"My leg hurts like a son of a bitch."

As Emmett leans down to examine it, I can't help but reach down and feel around. My shorts are torn, and there's blood, but the sting in my leg keeps me from touching any more.

"That's gonna need stitches," he confirms, using the light on his helmet to get a better look. "We've gotta get you to the hospital."

"I don't know if I can walk back up the fucking hill."

"Well, then, I guess I'll carry your ass."

"Fuck no!" Bracing myself on the ground and holding my injured leg up, I try to stand. Emmett's arms wrap around my waist, and he hoists me the rest of the way, letting me support my weight on him. Somehow, the two of us manage to climb back up the hill.

"You just had to do another trail," Emmett says as we reach the top, both of us kneeling on the ground to catch our breath.

"Shut up."

"I'm gonna help you the rest of the way down the hill to the Hummer, and I'll come back for the bikes."

"Mine's probably beat to shit."

"I'm sure it's salvageable."

Half an hour later, Emmett makes it back to the truck with the bikes and loads them up. My leg is throbbing so bad I can feel my heart beating in it. Before he'd gone back for the bikes, Emmett tied an old t-shirt around the cut to keep blood from getting everywhere.

"What hospital?" he asks, driving back out to the main road.

"Whatever's closest."

He hauls ass and gets us to Mercy Hospital around 10:00. It's late, but the emergency room is packed. It must be a full moon or some shit, because there are crying babies everywhere and a pregnant lady making laps. There's also a dude over in the corner with a broken nose and a busted lip and what looks like a split above each eye.

"Wonder what the other guy looks like?" I smirk, pointing over to him.

"No shit. Dude got his ass handed to him."

"Cullen," a nurse in blue scrubs finally calls from the ER entrance. Emmett helps me up and lets me lean on him as we make our way back. The nurse points to a bed and pulls the drape closed, informing us that a nurse will be with us shortly.

I've only been in an emergency room twice before—once when I was younger and had poison ivy so bad my eyes were swollen shut, and the other time when I passed out and broke my nose. My mom insisted on me being checked out, even though there isn't shit they can do about a broken nose. But I'm surprised I haven't ended up in the ER more than that. As much as Emmett and I push the limits with our extracurricular activities, you'd think we'd have landed our asses here a few times.

"I fucking hate hospitals," Emmett says, grimacing. "The smell makes me feel sick."

"I was just thinking that I'm surprised we haven't ended up here before now."

"No shit," he says, laughing. "Remember that one time we went skydiving and my chute didn't open all the way?"

"Yeah, you were spinning like a fucking top. I just knew I was going to be scraping your ass off the ground."

"Nope," Emmett says, shaking his head and puffing his chest out proudly. "I tucked and rolled that bitch. Didn't even walk away with so much as a scratch."

"You're the luckiest bastard I know."

We're still laughing when the curtain pulls back, and my heart tries to pound out of my chest.

 _What the fuck is she_ _doing here?_

Her eyes flicker—a moment's hesitation. She almost walks out, but then she doesn't. She puts both hands on her hips and looks over at me with a pointed stare. "This better be legit."

"What the fuck?" Emmett asks, looking at her and then back at me. We're both staring each other down, but for different reasons. My heart is beating fast, and I can't keep my cock in check. She's standing there in scrubs, with her brown hair twisted up in a messy bun. She looks different. There's no sexy dress, no combat boots. Her face is the same, though, intense eyes and pouty pink lips. The glare I've become accustomed to is also firmly in place.

"Look," Emmett says, standing up. "You need to fix his leg so we can get the hell outta here."

Her eyes leave my face and go to my leg. When she sees that I really am injured, her expression changes, and she goes into action. "What happened?" she asks, genuine concern in her tone as she peels the soiled t-shirt away from my leg.

I look down at the name tag that's hanging precariously close to her fantastic tits. _Swan, Isabella._ I can't help but smile. Knowing her name feels like Christmas. And she's a fucking nurse. My shitty luck just got better. I almost forget about the huge gash on my leg because being in the same room as her and knowing her name takes away the pain.

 _Isabella. That's beautiful._

"So I've been told."

A small smile pulls at her lips.

 _Oh, shit. Did I say that out loud?_

She's turning my brain to mush.

"So, what happened?" she asks again, looking back up at me when I fail to answer her. "To your leg…"

"Oh, uh… we were mountain biking, and I lost control of my bike," I tell her, trying to keep myself from becoming the bumbling idiot she tends to turn me into.

"He did a fucking header down the side of a hill. I'm surprised he didn't injure more than his leg," Emmett adds.

"Any dizziness or blurry vision?" she asks, coming closer to me and analyzing my eyes with a light.

"No," I say, swallowing hard at the effect her simple touch has on me.

"Do you need something for the pain?" she asks as she steps back and does a further assessment of my body.

Instead of answering with my words, I merely shake my head because everything going through my mind is completely inappropriate, and I don't want her to kick me out of her ER.

"Okay, hold tight. I'll be right back."

"What the _fuck_ was that?" Emmett asks after she's gone.

"That's her," I tell him, unable to take my eyes off the curtain she just disappeared behind.

"Her who?" he asks in confusion, until realization dawns. "Wait. You mean _her_ her?"

"Yep."

"Well, fuck me."

Emmett makes a statement about being _parched._ His word, not mine. And scurries off to get something to drink. But I know what he's really doing. He's avoiding being around if and when I get stitches. He's not a fan of blood. He won't even watch _The Walking Dead_.

Fucking pussy.

"Still hanging in there?" she asks, peeking her head around the curtain. Even her voice is sexy. I want to hear her say my name.

"Yeah," I say, clearing my throat and readjusting myself the best I can. She wheels a cart in beside the bed with several sterile looking supplies. The syringe is the first thing that catches my attention. Just seeing the long needle lying there makes me feel queasy.

Maybe I'm the fucking pussy.

She rolls up my shorts, and her hand brushes close to my cock. It stirs against my leg. It knows.

"I'm going to clean the wound first," she says, all business-like. "It'll probably sting a little." The coldness hits first and then the burn. And it more than stings. It hurts like a motherfucker, but I hold still, not wanting her to see me squirm. To keep from thinking about it too much, I stare at her. Her face looks so soft. I want to reach out and stroke her cheek, tuck the few strands of hair that have fallen out of her bun behind her ear.

"So, mountain biking, huh?" she asks, keeping her head down as she's focused on her task.

"Yeah. I like extreme sports," I tell her, wanting nothing more than to keep her talking.

"Really?" The corner of her mouth rises up into a small smile. "Are you an adrenaline junkie?" she asks, picking her head up to look at me. Our eyes meet, and I know she feels this thing between us. I can see it in the way she's breathing a little faster and in the way her eyes linger. She's trying hard to not feel it, but something deep inside tells me she does.

"I'll try anything once," I admit.

"What other things have you done?" Her gaze is locked on mine.

"Bungee jumping, rock climbing, skydiving… If it's dangerous, I've tried it at least once," I tell her, refusing to be the one to look away. "What about you? Any hobbies?"

Her eyebrow rises. "I have a few."

"Like what?" I ask, wanting to know everything about her, knowing there is more to her than a beautiful woman who frequents a sex club.

She shakes her head and goes back to work on my leg. "This'll burn," she says as a warning before sticking me with the needle. I'm so into her that it hardly fazes me. I continue watching her face as she gives me a few stitches and then cleans up and wraps fresh gauze around my leg.

And then she's gone. Always leaving before I'm ready for her to. Always leaving me wanting more.

I lie back on the hospital bed and groan in frustration. She infuriates me and intrigues me and turns me the fuck on. I want her to want me like I want her, and I think she might, but she's not letting herself. There's something there. She refuses to acknowledge it, but I'm not going to give up. I know I said I'd forget about her, but fate just dropped her back in my lap, and I'm not letting her go.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Jiff:** Just like some of you guessed, they finally met outside of the club or, as my teen daughter would say, "IRL"!

 **Jenny Kate:** The club was definitely REAL life… like, balls to the wall, but this is in a bit more normal setting. At least, for these two it is.

 **Jiff:** So, he knows her name and where she works but the mystery is still there. Maybe even more so. What do you think?

 **Jenny Kate:** I think these little nuggets of information only add to the mystery because she's still not giving him an inch...not even half an inch.

 **Jiff:** I agree, because what he knows now still doesn't make sense with what he "knows" about her from the club. Of course, it's not stopping him from wanting to give her an inch…or seven to eight. hahaha

 **Jenny Kate:** If you hadn't made a joke about the inches, I would've been highly disappointed.

 **Jiff:** So you like my predictability?

 **Jenny Kate:** I'm not sure if it's about predictability or the fact that we share the same brain. Given the chance, I would've made a joke about the inches. So, I expected it.

 **Jiff:** I love our #SameBrain.

 **Jenny Kate:** I love our #TeamJiffyKate. Let's thank them and get this bitch posted.

 **Jiff:** Thank you, GeekChic12, for your amazing beta skills and thank you, J Ray/Rachel and Pamela, for your awesome pre-reading skills! We love you!

Hope everyone has a safe and fun Halloween! See y'all Tuesday!


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** **We don't own Twilight or any other identifiable entities. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

"Hey, Queenie. Wanna go to the park?" I ask, waiting for my blonde-haired beauty at the door.

She slides on the hardwood floor around the corner and gallops toward me, stopping just short of plowing into me. I think she wants to go to the park. I know I do. I need some fresh air and a quiet moment to think. We don't usually go on Sundays, but my leg is still healing, which means mountain biking is out, as well as bungee jumping and skydiving. I tried rock climbing the other day and wished I hadn't. So, the park it is.

I called Emmett earlier to see if he wanted to meet up with us or grab some lunch later, but he sounded preoccupied and made up some lame-dick excuse of needing to run errands. Whatever the hell that means. He's probably out having fun without me but doesn't want to tell me.

"We're gonna have our own fun. Aren't we, girl? We don't need big stinky Emmett to have a good time." Queenie wags her tail and looks up at me with her big brown eyes in anticipation. She loves riding in the car, even though it's a bit small for a dog her size. It's her head out the window that she loves the most, so the size of the vehicle has no bearing on her enjoyment.

When I bought the car, I didn't own a dog and swore I never would, but that was until this girl showed up on my doorstep. She was so little back then. I had no idea I'd be housing a small horse one day. She grew so fast, but by the time she was knocking everything over and taking over my apartment, I was already in love. There's no way I could give her up now. She's who I come home to at night and who snuggles up with me while I sleep. We share a jar of peanut butter, and she likes to join me in the shower. She's the only girl I've ever enjoyed having around for so long.

Girlfriends have just never been my thing. Up until a couple of months ago, I didn't want the attachment, but then Isabella Swan flipped my world upside down. Now, I don't know if I need to wind my ass or scratch my watch. She has me so worked up, and the fact that she still won't give me the time of day pisses me the hell off.

Now that I know where she works, I've been by there once. Okay, twice. The first time, I walked in with confidence, straight up to the nurses' station in the emergency room. Bella, as I now know she prefers to be called, didn't come see me, but she sent a message with another nurse, telling me to not come to her place of work again. The second time, I didn't go in. I just sat in my car and waited to see if she would walk out. After twenty minutes of sitting in the parking lot, I decided I should leave and think of another way to get her attention. The last thing I need is for her to call the cops on me. I'm not sure if Mr. Wallace would think too kindly of me having a rap sheet. I doubt that would help me land the McDavid account.

Cruising down the street, I look over and smile at Queenie, who has her big head stuck out the window and her tongue flapping in the wind. Glancing back at the road, I reach over and scratch her neck right behind her collar, just like she likes.

When we pull up to the park, I hook Queenie's leash onto her collar, and she follows me out of the car. After we make it safely into the gated area, I release her, and she takes off. Picture the chick from _The Sound of Music_ running through the hillside singing, except make her a dog and turn the singing into barking, and that's Queenie right now. I find a free bench where I can keep an eye on her,stretch my legs out in front of me, and watch her run and play with a few other dogs. It must feel great to finally be able to cut loose after being cooped up in an apartment all week. I mean, I take her out for bathroom breaks and walks, but she doesn't get to do this every day. Maybe I should look into buying a house with a yard.

That thought catches me off guard. _Who the fuck am I?_

A few years ago, if you'd have asked me if I'd ever have a house with a yard, I would've said fuck no, because that's for pussy-whipped dudes who are attached to a ball and chain. Houses with yards are not for single guys like me who enjoy playing the field and living life on the edge. Sure, I'm not the most extreme dude around, and I don't get nearly as much pussy as a lot of guys. _Emmett_. But I live my life the way I want, no strings attached.

I have no reason to not want the bonds of matrimony and all that bullshit. My parents have been happily married for thirty-five years. My sister is also happily hitched. I just prefer to not be. I like adventure. I like trying something new. I like variety. I like space.

I also like Bella Swan.

Why the fuck she just entered my mind while thinking about love and marriage, I have no idea. She's somehow worked her way into every facet of my mind without even trying. Usually, women are the clingers. They're the ones hanging around, wanting more. The fact that I can't get her out of my mind is troubling. I've tried everything. I've tried getting laid but couldn't go through with it. I've tried drinking her away, but it only made me want her more. That night, I tried to get Emmett to drive me to the hospital and pretend like I was sick. He wouldn't. Thank fuck. That might warrant a restraining order. I'm really not this messed up… or I wasn't, until her.

I let out a deep breath and try to think of something besides Bella. I came out here to clear my head, but I'm not doing a very good job of that.

Scanning the large field for Queenie, I see her sniffing what I hope is just a patch of grass, when a little boy walks up to her and squats down beside her. I sit up a little in my seat, ready to go intercept if things get sketchy. She's been great with the few kids she's been in contact with, but I don't know what this little dude's agenda is. He looks like he's talking to her, and she begins to wag her tail, so I let them be for a few minutes.

The kid starts scratching behind Queenie's ears, and she licks him in the face. I wonder if he knows he's just made a friend for life. Her obsessive licking makes the kid fall on his back, but I can hear his laughter from here, so I know he's okay. Just in case, I decide to go over and check on him anyway.

Jogging up to them, I call out, "Queenie." That gets her attention, and she stops licking the poor kid. When I get to them, I look down and see a mess of brown hair and two large brown squinted eyes looking up at me. He's a really cute kid. "Hey, buddy. You okay?"

"Yeah, she was just licking me."

"I saw that. She really likes for people to scratch behind her ears. She was just showing her appreciation."

"Yeah, I like her."

The kid can't be more than five or six. There're freckles splattered across his nose, and he has a big dimple in one of his cheeks. I glance around to see if an adult is looking for a kid because he seems a little too young to be unattended. That's when I see her—wild brown hair and a frantic look on her face. "Luke!" she yells, shielding her eyes from the sun.

I look back down at the kid and offer him my hand to help him up. "Are you Luke?" I ask.

He nods and smiles as he pets Queenie again.

I nod and smile back at him because it seems as if the universe is on my side once again. "He's over here," I call out, and the look on her face when recognition hits is priceless. She's in limbo between pissed and relieved.

"Hey," she says tersely, but her arms wrap protectively around the kid.

"Hey," I reply, watching them intently.

"Hey, buddy." She kneels down in front of him and holds his hands in hers. "You can't run away like that. Remember we talked about how if you can't see me, then I can't see you, and that's not okay?"

He nods his head, and his hair falls down over his face a little. "Sorry." The tone in his voice is remorseful. "I just wanted to pet her," he says, pointing to Queenie, who is sitting on her hind legs, panting as she watches the three of us.

"She seems like a very nice dog," Bella says, looking down at Queenie and then back up at me.

I nod my head and smile. "She is."

"Can I play with her?" Luke asks, pleading with his big brown eyes. I have no idea how anyone says no to that. I look back up at Bella to see what she's going to do, and I can tell she's battling with what he wants versus what she wants.

"For five minutes," she tells him, and he and Queenie are off like rockets. I toss the ball over to him and tell him to play fetch with her.

"What are you doing here?" she asks, crossing her arms over her chest.

I laugh at her absurd question. "This is still a free country, and this happens to be our regular hang-out." I motion across the large green field.

"I've never seen you here before."

"Well, I've never seen you here before either." _Because if I had, I'd be here every day in hopes of seeing you._

"We come here every Sunday," she says, watching the kid play, and I add that to my _Important Things to Know About Bella Swan_ file. So far, it consists of: beautiful, guarded, drives a beat-up Volkswagen, wears combat boots, and goes to the dog park on Sundays.

"We usually come on Saturdays," I confess. She stands there, not offering up any more conversation, so I take it upon myself to do so. "Usually, Emmett and I ride our bikes on Sundays or go skydiving or some shit like that, but I can't with my leg all fucked up. So, here we are."

"Language."

"What?"

"Watch your language." I look over at her, and she still has her eyes trained on the boy and Queenie, watching them like a hawk, or maybe she's just avoiding me.

"He can't hear me all the way over there."

She huffs, and I can't see her eyes, but I can imagine she just rolled them at me. "So you didn't follow me here?" she asks, her tone still a bit abrasive.

"No." I laugh again, because it sounds ridiculous, but when I think about my behavior over the past month, I can see where she might think I'd stoop that low. "Listen, I'm sorry for showing up at the hospital. I really just wanted to see you, and I thought if I approached you somewhere besides the club, you might say yes."

Her head whips around, and her brown eyes bore into me. "Don't bring _that_ up in front of him either."

"Does he have some sort of special power I don't know about?" I ask, quirking my eyebrow. Sure, he's not too far from us, but he's completely preoccupied with my dog right now, and I doubt he can hear anything we're saying.

A small smile breaks across her face, and I feel myself relax a little. "No," she says, shaking her head and looking down at her feet. "Sorry, just a little paranoid about that stuff, I guess."

I smile, because this more vulnerable Bella is different from anything I've seen from her before, and I like it. "Your secret is safe with me."

"She really does seem like a great dog."

"She is, and she loves kids."

"Do you have kids?" she asks, her voice softening.

I laugh again. "Uh, no."

"Luke loves dogs," she says.

"Do you have kids?" I ask, afraid to assume anything when it comes to her. She could be the big sister or babysitter.

"You're looking at him."

"Right, of course." I can see a stark resemblance—same messy brown hair, same big brown eyes. "He's yours." It's not a question or a judgment, just a realization. Things about Bella start to make more sense—the wall she has up, her defensiveness.

"He is."

"He seems like a really great kid."

She smiles and nods, watching him and still refusing to make eye contact with me. "We've gotta go," she says, calling Luke back over. "Tell Edward thank you for letting you play with his dog."

"Thanks, Edward," Luke says, smiling up at me.

I'm smiling back at them, but inside, I'm a mess, wanting so badly to ask her to stay or if I can see her again… when I can see her again. But something tells me I shouldn't. Something tells me I need to play this cool and hope that things will work out if they're meant to. The universe has been good to me so far. I'll just have to trust in that.

"Maybe we'll see ya again," I tell Luke, ruffling his hair. "Tell him bye, Queenie." On cue, Queenie licks the side of his face, and he laughs a big belly laugh.

Bella does too and squints her eyes when she looks up at me. "See ya."

"Yeah." I nod and watch them walk away. When she glances back over her shoulder, my heart flips in my chest.

* * *

 **A/Ns:**

 **Jiff:** A little more of the Bella-puzzle is revealed here. What do y'all think?

 **Jenny Kate:** I feel something in the air. I don't think it's going to be easy, but at least he knows where she hangs on Sundays.

 **Jiff:** And that she has a son! That's pretty major!

 **Jenny Kate:** It is! I think he's adorable and I like seeing him and Edward interact.

 **Jiff:** Definitely. It's not much different than interacting with Emmett, in fact. LOL (J/K Emmett-lovers! *cough*Lynette*cough*)

 **Jenny Kate:** That's true! LOL. Gotta love Emmett. I kinda missed him this chapter. He's fun to write.

 **Jiff:** Very fun. Emmett usually is fun to write; we pretty much make him as goofy as we want.

 **Jenny Kate:** Well, we're pretty goofy, so that comes naturally.

 **Jiff:** Yes, it's great to be able to use Emmett as an outlet. SPOILER: He isn't the only goofy character in this story.

 **Jenny Kate:** Way to go and give it all away, Jiff. Gah. *winks* You know who I'd like to use for an outlet?

 **Jiff:** Rob. Duh.

 **Jenny Kate:** Or Charlie. Or Norman. Or Stephen fucking James. I have so many boyfriends to choose from.

 **Jiff:** Yessss… I must add Gerard Butler and Viggo Mortensen, too. They're older but they've been on my list for a long time. UNF.

 **Jenny Kate:** But we digress. Anyhoo, thanks so much for reading and putting up with our rambly author's notes. We love you guys!

 **Jiff:** Let's not forget the ladies who make us look good! Our beta, GeekChic12, and our prereaders, Rachel and Pamela!

 **Side Note #1:** We (along with Geeky and JennaRay/Rachel) have been nominated for several categories in the Twi Fic Fandom Awards and we'd love your vote! You can do that by going to .com and click on "vote". It will take you to the categories. You can also click on "Round 1 nominees" to see everyone who is nominated and the categories they're nominated in.

 **Side Note #2:** We now have an author's page on Facebook. We'd love it if you would "like" us. We have some exciting announcements coming soon!


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** **We don't own Twilight or any other identifiable entities. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

"The club. Tonight," Emmett says as he walks past my office.

"I said I wasn't going back there," I call out to him.

"I need a wingman," he yells from his office.

"You said you weren't taking me back," I yell in return.

"That was weeks ago. I'm sure all's forgotten. Besides, I checked the list, and you're still on there."

 _Uh, no._ I can't go to the club. Can I? I mean, what if Bella is there? Would we talk? Would that hurt the progress we've made? Have we made progress? My mind goes back to Sunday and the park... and the kid. In the past, that would've been a turn-off. Call me a dick, but I've never been interested in women with kids. I'm not even sure I want kids. But she seems like a really good mom, and I actually like Luke. As far as kids go, he's a really cool one. And Bella... Damn, she was even more gorgeous than the other times I've seen her. And like every time before, she left me wanting more.

"You look like you're trying to solve the national debt."

I look up to see Emmett standing in the doorway.

"What's got you so puzzled?" he asks, tossing a tennis ball in the air and catching it.

"Uh, this McDavid account," I lie. Emmett doesn't need to know I sound like a chick in my head right now. I'd never hear the end of it.

"You said you have that shit in the bag. The meeting is tomorrow."

"Yeah. I mean, I do. I was just going through the last few details, making sure everything is in order."

"Yeah, okay." He watches me from the door for a few seconds, and I know he doesn't believe a damn word I just said, but at least he's not badgering me for the truth. "So, the club. Tonight. It'll take your mind off this McDavid shit."

"No," I blurt out and quickly try to cover up my aversion. "I can't go." That definitely would be a bad decision. I want to see her, but the club feels all wrong. If she's there, she could be with someone else, and I might beat the shit out of the guy. If she's not there, I'll wonder if it's because of me. If she sees me and I don't see her, she might think I'm there to fuck someone else. So I definitely can't go, right?

I'm such a fucking girl.

 _Man up, Edward. Take your balls back, and do what you fucking want._

"Is this still about that chick? What's her name?"

"Bella." I love the way her name sounds and feels coming out of my mouth. I can't help but think about saying her name while pushing into her. I wonder what her face looks like when she comes.

"Yeah, Nurse Swan," Emmett oozes out, raising his eyebrows.

"Stop." I know what he's thinking about. I'm sure it's along the lines of Bella in a skimpy nurse's uniform. I don't like him thinking about her like that. I wish he didn't even know what she looks like or what her name is. I don't like sharing her.

 _Oh, fuck._ I'm so screwed.

"Okay, loverboy." Emmett laughs with a knowing look, shaking his head.

"Get out," I yell, throwing a wadded up piece of paper at his retreating form. Running my hands through my hair a few times and then down my face, I groan in frustration.

 _What are you doing to me, Bella Swan?_

***NSA***

Somehow I managed to avoid all of Emmett's questions, inquisitions, and badgering. He wanted me to go rock climbing with him today, but I told him I had a family dinner to attend, which I do, but after the dog park. I blew him off last week using my leg as an excuse, but since it's healed up, I had to think of something new.

I look over at Queenie and shake my head at her—big ears flapping, tongue wagging. She's a happy girl. She's going to be really happy when we get to the park and she sees Luke. They've become fast friends. They have a lot in common: cuteness, energy, and fetch. I think Luke loves playing fetch as much as Queenie does.

Last week, Bella seemed equally surprised and annoyed that I was at the park again. She doesn't know how determined and persistent I can be when I really want something. And I really want her. I want her more than I've wanted anything in my life… more than a 4.0 GPA or to win the state title in track… more than landing a job at the best advertising firm in Dallas… more than my shiny sports car. Every time she brushes me off or shuts me down, it only fuels the need for her, making me want to try harder.

This week, I brought reinforcements: donuts, chocolate milk for Luke, coffee for Bella and me, and a new frisbee for Luke and Queenie.

When I pull into an empty parking spot close to the gate, I look around for the wild brown hair that's been starring in my dreams. I don't see it. The park is actually pretty damn empty for a Sunday. There are a couple of dogs running around, their owners lounging under shade trees or on benches, but that's about it. I decide to let Queenie out before she mauls me. After she's running free, I'll come back to the car for the donuts.

Once I'm settled on what I like to think is our regular bench now, I start to feel anxious. Bella and Luke still aren't here. I guess there's a good chance she could stand me up. Maybe she's not happy that I keep showing up on Sundays. Maybe this is her way of telling me to fuck off. I thought we were making progress, but I've been wrong before. Lately, I've been so wrong. Normally, I wouldn't have to work so hard for a girl's attention. Bella makes me work double time. No, fuck that. Triple time. Just when I think she's going to soften up a little and maybe give me an inch, she throws her walls back up and shuts me out.

"Edward," a small, happy voice says from behind me, and I can't help the enormous smile that takes over my face.

"Luke," I say, turning around to find him running toward me. "Hey, dude."

"Hey, dude," he says, mimicking me and giggling.

"You'll have to excuse him," Bella says, following close behind, looking extra gorgeous.

"You'll have to excuse him," Luke repeats.

Bella rolls her eyes and laughs, pulling him to her. "He's got this really scary parrot disease," she says, her beautiful brown eyes growing wide. "I think I'm going to have to take him by the hospital before we go home later and let them poke him."

"No!" Luke yells, pulling away from her and running toward Queenie. When Queenie sees him, she gallops over, stopping just before running into him. They have a moment on the grass, kissing and petting.

See, why can't Bella get on board with that kind of greeting?

"The repeating is about to drive me batty this morning."

"He's been doing that all morning?" I ask, grinning over at her.

"Try all week." She huffs and takes a seat on the bench.

"Wow, that's fun," I say, trying to stifle a laugh.

"Especially when you say a bad word and forget there are little ears and your mother busts you." She presses her lips together, trying not to laugh, and rolling her eyes.

"Oh, God. I'd get busted all the time."

"Yeah, I bet you would."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I've heard your filthy mouth."

She says it so casually, like she just told me the sky is blue.

I can't help but look at her with wide eyes. I thought that was off limits. The night that shall not be named.

"What?" she asks, quirking an eyebrow.

I squint my eyes, trying to figure her out, but I'm afraid if I say anything, that hard stone wall she usually has up will slam into place.

"Nothing," I say, smiling. "Coffee?" I hold up the extra cup.

"Absolutely." Her expression is a mixture of surprise and… gratitude, maybe? She takes the cup and inhales deeply. "How'd you know I didn't get my second cup this morning?"

I smile and grab my own cup, taking a sip. "I was just stopping by to get some on my way here and thought I might know a beautiful brunette who would like some."

Her lips twist behind her cup. "Stop."

"What?"

"Being sweet and thoughtful."

"Oh, so a few minutes ago, I had a dirty mouth, and now I'm sweet and thoughtful?"

"God, that's even worse," she groans. "Say something asshole-ish."

"What?" I ask, laughing.

"I need you to be a prick. Say something shitty, like you hate your mom or you ran over a bunny on the way here and laughed about it."

I can't help laughing again. She laughs too, and it's beautiful, just like everything else about her.

"I love my mom. I didn't run over a bunny. And I brought donuts." I figure now's the time for the pastry assault. My plan of attack seems to be working.

"I hate you." She grabs a donut from the open box I'm holding in front of her face and takes a bite. Not a dainty, I'm-a-girl-who-only-eats-salad kind of bite, but a let-me-cram-half-this-donut-in-my-mouth kind of bite.

And I can't take my eyes off her mouth.

"What?" she asks, giving me a snarly look over the top of the other half of the donut she's currently inhaling. "I'm hungry." Once the donut is no longer, she smiles and licks her fingers to rid them of the leftover icing.

Does she know what she does to me? Is this her own personal method of torture? Does she _actually_ hate me?

"I haven't eaten anything since the sandwich I had yesterday afternoon."

"Why?" I ask, taking a donut and having my first bite.

"Late night at the hospital. ER was crazy," she says, leaning over me and snagging another donut.

The close contact makes my heart rate spike, and I can't stop myself from closing my eyes and inhaling deeply, taking in her hint of sweet and touch of spicy and something that is uniquely her...maybe her soap or laundry detergent. I'm not sure what it is, but I can't get enough.

"You should leave some for Luke," I tease, earning myself a glare and a smirk.

"He ate breakfast. I'm not a horrible mom."

"No, I can see that," I admit honestly. She actually seems like a great mom. I like that about her.

"It's just that by the time I scrambled his eggs to perfection, he was already on my ass about coming here. To see you… and your dog," she deadpans. I can tell she's trying to be annoyed about the fact that her kid likes me… and my dog, but the slight smile that sneaks up on her lips tells me she's not completely pissed about it.

"Well, I was starting to think you were going to stand me up," I say, not even thinking about the words until they're out of my mouth and I can't take them back.

She stiffens a little and clears her throat, dusting her hands off. "Well, you should know that sometimes I get called in on Sundays. My schedule is very unpredictable."

I don't know if that's her way of saying "fuck off" or her way of letting me know that if she's not here, it's not because she's standing me up. She's so hard for me to read, always keeping me guessing.

"Who's with Luke when you're at the hospital?" I ask, knowing I'm probably pushing my luck with this question, but it only comes from a place of genuine curiosity. But then I realize that he's probably with his dad and this was probably a bad question.

 _Fuck._

"My mom," Bella says, not offering anything more than that, and I don't pry any further. But now that I've started thinking about Luke's father, I can't stop. Does she still see him? Are they a thing, or were they a thing? Why doesn't he come to the park on Sundays? Who doesn't want to spend time with a cool kid like Luke?

Bella clears her throat again and shifts on the bench, pulling me from my inner inquisition. I'd love to ask her the questions that are on the tip of my tongue, but I'm afraid I'll scare her off. So I lounge back on the bench and stretch my legs out in front of me, trying to play it cool.

We watch Luke and Queenie play, letting a comfortable silence settle around us. Occasionally, we laugh at something they do, and Bella comments on how good Queenie is with him. She seriously follows the kid everywhere he goes, never letting him out of her sight. I've always known she's a good dog, but seeing her with Luke makes me realize how loyal and protective she is.

Later, when we're tossing the trash and I put the leash back on Queenie, I try to think of something to say to Bella. I don't want to spook her, but I want to see her again. Preferably before next Sunday.

"You should come to McNellie's tomorrow night," I tell her, swallowing the nervous lump that immediately forms in my throat once the statement is out in the open. "My friend, Emmett, and I watch football there every Monday night. It's public. Lots of people around," I say, trying to sweeten the deal and let her know I'm not trying to get in her pants. I just want to spend time with her, get to know her better.

And of course get in her pants. But I'm willing to wait for that.

"I work tomorrow," she says, guiding Luke toward the parking lot.

"Well, any Monday. I'm always there."

"Probably not a good idea." She looks down and ruffles Luke's hair.

I nod, trying not to show my disappointment. Something about today made me hope that those walls were coming down, but just like that, she reinforces them—snips the few little threads that were becoming attached.

"Thanks for the donuts and the coffee," she says, giving me a small smile.

"You're welcome."

"What do you say to Edward?" she asks Luke, tilting his head up to me.

"Thanks, Edward!" Luke exclaims, an adorable grin shining up at me.

"You're welcome, Buddy. I'll see ya next week."

She doesn't confirm nor deny that, only waves and walks Luke over to a shiny black SUV and helps him inside.

So, she doesn't take the beat-up Volkswagen to Sundays at the park. Interesting.

* * *

 **A/Ns:**

 **Jiff:** *sigh* I love this chapter.

 **Jenny Kate:** Me too! I love how Edward is working so hard to gain Bella's trust. Bella is still trying her damndest to block him out, but I think he's definitely wearing her down.

 **Jiff:** No one can resist Edward Cullen's charm for long! I know I can't.

 **Jenny Kate:** And their banter makes me smile. Also, look at Edward going out on a limb there, inviting her to the bar.

 **Jiff:** That's a pretty bold move, inviting a woman to a guy-thing, especially without discussing it with Emmett first.

 **Jenny Kate:** Even though she turned him down, I still feel like there's hope there.

 **Jiff:** There's always hope!

 **Jenny Kate:** We'd like to thank our kick-ass team: super beta, Geekchic12, and our awesome pre-readers, Rachel and Pamela! We love y'all!

We'll be revealing our cover for _Finding Focus_ (formerly _Southern Comfort_ ) tomorrow on Facebook and several book blogs that are helping us out! If you haven't liked our Jiffy Kate page on Facebook, we'd love for you to!


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** **We don't own Twilight or any other identifiable entities. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

On the drive over to my mom and dad's house, I can't get Bella out of my mind. Part of me, the rational part, thinks I should forget about her. It seems like all of my efforts to get her to open up are futile. The second she lets a bit of her guard down, she puts it right back up. It doesn't take much of anything to spook her. Just a mention of family, her job, anything, forces her to lock up tighter than Fort Knox. At this point, I can't imagine ever having any sort of relationship with her.

Is that what I want? A relationship?

I do. I want a relationship. With Bella. Even though we met under unusual circumstances, she's held my attention since day one, or night one… fuck one. I laugh harshly to myself, shaking my head. This whole situation is fucked up, and I should be the poster child for why you don't go to sex clubs. The slogan could read: Ruining cocks one phenomenal pussy at a time… Just say no to 'no strings attached'… The possibilities are endless.

My dad will get a kick out of this one.

This isn't the first time I've seen him since I met Bella, but the last time, I had only seen her the one night at the club and wasn't sure if I'd ever see her again. So I didn't feel like bringing it up and sitting through a Carlisle Cullen session at the dinner table. But now that I know more about her and with each passing morsel of information I get am left wanting more, I need him and his expertise. I'm hoping he'll have some light to shed… some advice, a way for me to get Bella to trust me, anything.

I'm a desperate man.

Sighing, I wonder for the millionth time how I let myself get into this situation.

What if my dad tells me to forget her? What then? Will I? _Can_ I?

Pulling into the long drive, I run a hand through my hair and down my face, rubbing my eyes roughly. The more I think about her, the more insane I start to feel… for her, about her… because of her. I try to pull myself together because I'd like to enjoy dinner before unleashing the therapist. When I see my mother peeking through the blinds, I know I can't wait any longer, so I grab the bottle of wine and bouquet of flowers from the passenger seat and head inside.

"Edward," my mother sighs, pulling me into her and kissing my cheek. "Honey, you look like you've had a rough day. Did you and Emmett work today?"

"No, Mom. It's been a good day. I took Queenie to the park," I tell her, kissing her cheek in return and handing her the flowers and wine to take her mind off how I look.

"Good selection," she says, eyeing the bottle as she takes it and walks to kitchen.

"Thanks. I thought it'd go well with meatloaf."

"Oh, I think it'd go well with a bologna sandwich," she says, smirking over her shoulder. My mom's not a lush, but she does love her wine. Okay, maybe she can be a lush.

After hanging my jacket by the door, I walk into the kitchen to find my parents practically making out on the island. Most people would be grossed out by that, but not me. After twenty-five years of living in the same house as Esme and Carlisle Cullen, I'm used to it. They've always been affectionate and have never hidden it from me or my sister. I think we had our first sex talk when I was eight. It was mostly the "women have vaginas, and men have penises" talk. When I was eleven, my dad sat me down and showed me diagrams of the female anatomy. It was scary and traumatizing, but when I was giving girls orgasms at the age of sixteen and all my friends were fumbling around with their dicks, it paid off.

To say we're all comfortable with our sexuality in this family would be an understatement.

My dad is the first to notice I'm in the room, and he stands up straight, adjusting his wire rimmed glasses and smoothing his cardigan with a sly smile on his face. "Edward," he says nonchalantly as he walks past me.

"Good to see you too, Dad."

"You haven't been to Sunday dinner in a couple weeks. How's work been?"

My mom uncorks the wine and pours five glasses, draining the bottle. Alice and Jasper must be joining us.

"Work's been good. Busy. We're pitching the McDavid account on Wednesday," I say, taking the proffered glass from my mom.

"That old man has more money than he knows what to do with. I hope they're paying you handsomely."

"If we get the account, it'll be my biggest one yet."

"That's my boy," my dad says proudly, leaning back in his chair as the front door opens and Alice's chipper voice filters in from the foyer.

"Hi, baby," my mom says, going to her and taking the bowl she's carrying. They exchange a few words, and then I feel my sister's dainty arm wrap around my neck.

"How dare you leave us alone with these two weirdos," she whispers.

"I heard that," Dad says.

"Hey, stranger," Jasper says, slapping me hard on the shoulder. "How's the leg?"

"All healed up," I tell him, patting my leg for proof.

"So, are you back to incredible acts of stupidity?" he asks, stealing a carrot from the bowl on the table.

"Nah, taking it easy for another week or so, just to make sure."

"Probably a good idea," my dad says.

"Next time, it could be your head," my mother chimes in. "Or that pretty face." She walks around the table and takes my cheeks in her hands.

"Mom." I pull back from her, rolling my eyes.

"Heaven forbid he messes up that pretty face," Jasper teases.

"Let's stop with the pretty business and just eat. I'm starving," I groan.

My dad says grace, and we all dig in.

"Jasper, did you get the final count for this weekend?" my mom asks.

Jasper and my mom have a big gig this coming weekend at the Hamiltons'. Their grandson is turning one, and Cullen and Co. Celebrations is turning their backyard into a legitimate circus, like with a ferris wheel and ponies and clowns. The whole fucking nine yards. The money these people pay to have magazine-worthy parties for children who will never remember them is ridiculous, but it's good business for my mom and Jasper. They make a killing. My mom used to run the business by herself but then partnered with Jasper about six years ago. He had a party supply business that my mom rented from, and after working together on several events, they decided to go into business together. That's how Alice met Jasper.

The rest is party-planning history.

Alice and Jasper's wedding was one of the biggest in the Dallas-Fort Worth Area. People still talk about it. It was completely over the top, of course, but you know what people say: "everything's bigger in Texas", and parties thrown by the Cullens are no exception.

"So, Edward, gone on any dates lately?" my sister asks.

Alice followed in the footsteps of our dad and became a sex therapist. They don't work together, but they're both very interested in my love life… too interested, if you ask me. I'm used to it, though. Between the two family love doctors and my mom and Jasper being nosey as fuck, there's no such thing as privacy or TMI in this house.

"Oh, yeah, son. Tell us about your latest conquest. It's been a while since you've mentioned a girl. Surely you haven't been so busy with work that it's affecting your social life," my dad goads.

See what I mean?

Usually, I don't have a problem with giving them details because I'm not a repeater when it comes to women, but now… with Bella… I'm finding it harder to share. But who knows? Maybe they can help me think of a way to get her interested in me. They're professionals, right?

"Well, Emmett finally got me into that sex club he's always talking about. We went a few weeks ago," I start.

"Oh, man. Really? I've always wanted to go there. Think he could get me and Alice in?"

"That's how we can celebrate our anniversary, Jas!" My sister squeals and throws her arms around her husband.

Ugh, I don't even want to know about that.

"Anyway, after I observed for a few times, I decided to get on stage and participate in an auction."

"I bet you raised the most money that night!" my mom proudly exclaims.

"With such a pretty face, how could he not?" Jasper jokes before I kick him under the table.

"I have no idea how much money was spent on me. I kind of zoned out or something. All I know is that I was with the most amazing woman, and I can't get her out of my head. I think I'm going crazy." I rake my fingers through my hair and scoot my chair away from the table.

"You didn't get her phone number?" Mom asks.

"No, it's not like that. You're blindfolded while the bidding is going on, and you don't get to see who you're having sex with until you're done. It's supposed to be completely anonymous. Believe me, I tried to get her info, and she threatened to have me thrown out."

"Whoa. You mean there's a woman out there that _didn't_ fall for the Cullen Charm?" This time, Alice elbows her husband so I don't have to kick him again.

"Now, son, maybe you should go out with someone else. It's possible you have that night built up too much in your head, and in reality, it wasn't as great as you think. You may just need to try again with a new lady and see that it was just sex. You may be attracted to the anonymity and excitement of the bidding process."

My dad, the fucking expert. Literally.

"Carlisle, I can't believe you'd say that, knowing that's how we met." I swear, daggers are flying out of my mother's eyes as she glares at my dad. I'm too pissed at what he said to even think about what my mom just announced.

"Mom. Dad. It's more than that. You know I've been with my share of women—"

"And then some," Jasper interjects.

"Fuck off," I tell Jasper before continuing. "Nothing has ever compared to the time I was with Isabella. Nothing. And trust me, I've tried to get her out of my mind, but I can't."

My father smiles at my mom. "See, dear? I was just testing Edward. He seems pretty serious about her, _and_ he knows her name."

"Yeah, she's the one who stitched up my leg in the ER. I saw her name tag."

"So, she didn't give it to you?" I hate the way my mom's face falls when she asks, so there's no way I'm telling her about stalking Bella at the hospital.

"Not exactly, but it's okay now. We see each other at the park on the weekends and hang out."

"Well, that sounds promising!" And now, she's all smiles again.

"But I'm afraid she'll turn me down if I ask her out again." Fuck me, I sound like a whiny bitch, but this is what she does to me.

"I've never seen you this worked up over a girl before, Edward. I like it," Alice says. "It looks like you have your work cut out for you. Just don't do anything stupid like cutting your other leg up just to see her at the hospital again." She raises her eyebrow at me, daring me to lie and say the thought hasn't entered my brain a million times by now. Crossing my arms over my chest and rolling my eyes at her is the only answer she's going to get.

"It sounds like she has some walls up, son, so I'd tread carefully. But be honest with her. Show her you're a man with integrity, someone who's trustworthy and dependable." Finally, some good advice from my dad.

I start to understand why Bella is still distant at times, but then Luke's face comes to mind. If we start dating, it won't just be me and her. Luke is her number-one priority, and I get it. I do. I've never dated a woman with a kid before, and I won't deny being scared as shit, but I'm always up for a new adventure. Hopefully, in this one we'll all have fun, and no one will get hurt.

"Thanks, everyone. I really appreciate your input, but I need to backtrack for a minute." I turn and look at my mother. "Mom, I thought Uncle Caius introduced you and Dad."

"Oh, well, he did… in a manner of speaking." She fidgets with her fingers, and I don't think I've ever seen my mother nervous like this before. She and my dad have always been honest—sometimes too honest—with us about their relationship. "We met at a Greek function at our university that was being sponsored by your father and uncle's fraternity. Caius did introduce us… right before your father went on stage for a bachelor auction." She blushes before she continues. "I won him."

"Why would you keep that part of the story a secret?" Alice asks.

"I don't know. I guess I thought it would be too shocking for you."

"You bought me my first vibrator, but yet you didn't think I could handle learning you bid on Dad for your first date?" The entire table is howling with laughter at this point.

"All right, fine! It was a stupid secret to keep," my mother admits, wiping the corners of her eyes. "But it was the best two hundred dollars I ever spent."

"I bet the frat could've raised even more money if sex had been part of the deal, huh, Edward?" My dad winks at me, and I'm actually thankful to have such understanding parents. It'll make this thing with Bella go a lot more smoothly, _if_ I can ever get her to agree to a date.

"What are you complaining about, Carlisle?" my mom asks with a smile. "You had plenty of sex that night, and you've been getting it ever since. I got a bargain, I tell ya!"

"No complaints from me," my dad retorts with a wink. "I'll show you just how non-complaining I am as soon as we kick our children out."

Carlisle and Esme Cullen, ladies and gentlemen.

* * *

 **A/Ns:**

 **Jenny Kate:** The Cullens make me laugh.

 **Jiff:** Me, too! They aren't your typical Cullens for sure.

 **Jenny Kate:** No, kinda like The Cullens meet The Fockers. Rachel said, in her pre-readers comments, that they're fucking awkward. Mission accomplished. LOL

 **Jiff:** Yeah, we like awkward. It makes them more relatable, I think.

 **Jenny Kate:** I feel at home with awkward.

 **Jiff:** It definitely keeps things interesting.

 **Jenny Kate:** It's good to know that E's family would be accepting of Bella...but, of course, they need to go on a date first.

 **Jiff:** A date would be good…

 **Jenny Kate:** Guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens. *winks*

We'd like to thank all of you for reading and for leaving us reviews. Your supports means the world to us. We'd also like to thank our kick-ass team: Geekchic12, J Ray (Rachel), and Pamela! We love y'all!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** **We don't own Twilight or any other identifiable entities. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 9**

"What's got you all riled up?" Emmett asks as I chug my second beer.

It's not even two minutes into the first quarter of the Colts and Panthers game, and I honestly couldn't give two shits about who wins. Normally, I pace myself and drink a beer a quarter, unless the Cowboys are playing. Then it's a totally different ballgame. Emmett and I usually have to take Tuesdays off when the Cowboys play on Monday nights, especially if they lose.

I set my empty mug on the bar in front of me and glance back at the door. "I might've mentioned to Bella that we come here every Monday night," I say, trying to sound nonchalant about it.

"Did you invite her?" he asks, giving me a half-smile before taking a sip of his beer.

"Maybe." I don't want to commit to the fact that I invited her because then I'm going to look like the pathetic loser I am when she doesn't show.

"You either did, or you didn't."

"I told her she should come."

"And what did she say?"

"She blew me off, like she does every time I try to ask her out or try to get to know her better."

"The chick knows how to play hard to get. I'll give her that."

"I don't think it's just that," I tell him, letting out a deep sigh. "I think there's something else there. Her guard is always up."

"You said she has a kid," Emmett says, leaning on the bar. "Maybe she's just being protective?"

"Yeah, maybe." The walls she has up could be because of Luke, but I still feel like there's more to the story. In fact, I know there is. Like, where's Luke's dad? _Who_ is Luke's dad? Does she still see him? Have feelings for him? There's so much I don't know about Bella Swan.

"Are you more nervous she's going to show up or that she's going to blow you off?"

"Don't mention blowing and Bella in the same sentence. My blue balls can't take it."

"You're avoiding the question."

I divert my gaze back to the large television and start picking at a plate of cheese fries sitting between us. "I don't know, dude. Both, I guess."

I want her to show up, but if she does, then what?

"Man, she's got you so twisted." Emmett snickers, shaking his head.

We sit and drink a couple more beers while watching the Panthers get the shit beat out of them. I continuously check the door, much to Emmett's amusement.

After our halftime dart game, we settle back in at our spot at the bar. I glance at my watch and see that it's after nine and wonder what Bella's doing, if she's working or at home. For the millionth time over the past month, I wish I had her number.

A catcall coming from the back of the bar makes me turn around just as Bella flips the guy the bird. I smirk, watching her walk past the table and then scan the bar. The fact that she's here makes my heart beat double-time. When her eyes meet mine, I swear a hint of a smile forms on her lips. She raises an eyebrow as if to say "I'm here", like she's not sure what she's doing or if she should be here… but she's here.

I slide off the barstool and meet her halfway.

"Hey," I say, walking up to her and slipping my hands in my pockets to keep myself from reaching out and pulling her to me.

"Hey," she says, looking around the bar. There's something different about her. Her hair is in the messy bun I've seen her wear at the hospital, and she's dressed in jeans and a sweater. Nothing out of the ordinary. I look down to see the combat boots firmly in place, like her armor, laced halfway up with the laces wrapped around her ankles. When I make my way back up to her face, that's when I see it—the slight hint of nervousness. She bites the corner of her mouth, and her eyes continue to dance around the room. I can see the internal battle of her wondering if she's making a mistake.

"Wanna drink?" I ask, hoping to ease her nerves.

"Yeah," she says with a hard laugh. "I could really use one."

I guide her to the bar, walking behind her and turning my head toward the guys she flipped off when she came in. My death glare lets them know in no uncertain terms to back off my girl.

Yeah, _my_ girl. As far as they're concerned, or anyone else in this bar, she's mine.

"What can I get ya, honey?" Jimmy asks.

"A shot of 1800," Bella says, sliding onto the barstool I'd been occupying.

I lean against the bar beside her and watch as Emmett's smile grows wider. He's eating this shit up with a spoon. The look he gives me over the top of her head is one of shock and amusement.

"Bella, this is Emmett." I nod to the other side of her, gesturing to the beast.

Emmett turns in his seat and offers her his hand.

"Emmett, Bella."

"Ah, yes. I remember you from the ER. One of the nurses had to give you something for your nausea. Wasn't it bad sushi or something like that?" she asks, and his face pales.

He clears his throat and winces.

"Bad sushi?" I ask, not sure what she's talking about. We haven't had sushi for a couple of months. The place we usually go to closed down.

"Yeah," Emmett says nervously, and I can see the lie all over his face.

I laugh and shake my head. "Fucking pussy," I say under my breath.

"What?" Bella asks, looking back and forth at the two of us.

"He gets sick at the sight of blood," I tell her.

Bella laughs and turns her attention back to Emmett. "So that whole bad fish thing was a big ol' fat lie, huh?"

Emmett's cheeks pink up a little. "Yes, okay?" He stares at me. "Happy now?"

"Extremely." I love to see him squirm.

When Jimmy returns with Bella's shot, she slams it back and slides the glass back to him. "I'll have one more. Then a coke, straight," she instructs.

"Bad night in the ER?" I ask, watching her.

"Yeah." She lets out a deep breath and rubs her eyes, and I start to ask more but refrain. She's here, and that's enough for now. I don't want to scare her off.

When Jimmy sets her second shot down in front of her with a grin, she looks over at Emmett. "Lots and lots of blood," she says teasingly, tossing the tequila back.

Emmett shakes his head and laughs, taking a drink of his beer.

We watch the rest of the game. Bella and Emmett exchange jabs, and I sit back and enjoy the free entertainment. When the game is over, Emmett asks for his tab, and I slap some money down on the bar to cover mine and Bella's. She gives me a glare but doesn't argue. Maybe I should've let her pay so she'd want to come back and hang out again, but I couldn't. I have all sorts of weird feelings when it comes to Bella, and one is the need to take care of her. I've never felt that way about anyone, but it hits me so strongly sometimes.

"Can I walk you to your car?" I ask, leaning down to whisper in her ear.

"I'm gonna head out," Emmett says, slapping me on the back. "Bella, it was a pleasure to see you again. See you tomorrow, Ed." He waves as he walks out of the bar.

"I'm parked across the street," Bella says, standing up and walking backward toward the door. "You coming?"

It takes me a minute to get myself together. She's looking at me with a spark in her eyes, and the confidence she usually wears like a cloak is back in full force. When I finally get my feet to work, I have to jog to catch up to her.

"Thanks for coming tonight," I tell her as we start to cross the street. I look around for the black SUV she was driving on Sunday, but it's not there. The beat-up red Volkswagen is instead.

"Yeah, uh, thanks for inviting me," she says, but it sounds more like a question than a statement. She digs in her bag and pulls out keys, clicking a button twice, and the Volkswagen purrs to life. "It was a really bad day in the ER, and I needed… something."

I start to wonder if I hadn't invited her here, would she have gone to the club instead? Maybe that's what she usually does to blow off some steam.

"Do you want to come to my apartment?" I ask before I have a chance to stop myself.

Her head snaps around, and she gives me a pointed look, similar to the one she's given me at the club. Almost a "fuck off" or "in your fucking dreams". She presses the button on her key again, and the doors unlock. After she tosses her purse in, she turns and leans back against the car. "I don't do relationships."

The definitiveness in her voice lets me know she's not playing. It's not an excuse or an out. It's fact.

I nod and shove my hands into my front pockets, rocking back on my heels. "Okay," I tell her. I'll take whatever she'll give me. We don't have to do a relationship.

"Not at your apartment."

My mind races. Is she saying yes? To sex? With me? I look around and try to think fast.

"And not here," she laughs, shaking her head.

"Right. Of course not." I clear my throat and say the first thing that comes to mind. "What about the hotel down the street?"

"That works. I need to do something first, but I can meet you there in half an hour."

"I'll text you the room number."

She holds out her hand, and at first, I'm not sure what she wants. "Phone," she demands.

"Oh, right," I say, pulling it out of my pocket and handing it to her.

And that, my friends, is how you get Bella Swan's phone number. Taking the phone back from her, I look at her info on the screen and inwardly fist-pump myself. Outwardly, I play it cool and slip my phone back into my pocket, nodding my head.

She doesn't say anything else, just nods her head back at me and climbs in the driver's seat. Next thing I know, she's pulling away, and I'm left standing there… dumbfounded. Did that just happen? Are we really doing this?

Half an hour later, I'm nervously bouncing my leg as I sit on the edge of the bed at the Omni Hotel and watch my phone like a pot of water I'm waiting to boil. I texted her the room number, but she hasn't replied. It's only been a few minutes, but the thought that she could stand me up is consuming me.

Not being able to stand to wait any longer, I get up and head for the door. My nerves are raw, and I feel like a lion trapped in a cage. I need space. I need to step out of this room before I drive myself crazy. Hopefully, I'll catch Bella as she walks into the lobby.

I pull the door open, revealing a very quiet, very unsure Bella. Her eyes are wide and nervous, and she's fidgeting with the hem of her sweater. With her standing before me, my body finally relaxes. I don't like seeing her so apprehensive, though. I calmly reach for her hand and guide her into the room.

Once we're inside, and the door is closed, Bella lets out a deep breath. She seems more comfortable now, like getting to the hotel was the hardest part of the evening. I'm not sure what to think about that. I'm just relieved she's here.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" I ask.

"No, thanks. I'm fine. Sorry it took me so long. I went home to say goodnight to Luke, and then when I got here, I had to stop myself from running away."

Ouch.

She must realize how her words sounded because she quickly tries to take them back.

"Oh, shit. I didn't mean for it to sound like that, I swear. See? This is why I like going to the club. I don't have to talk if I don't want to. I get what I want; then I leave. Easy peasy. This—" She moves her hand back and forth between us. "This is new to me."

"What do you want this to be? You said you don't do relationships, so... Do you want to be fuck buddies?"

She chews on her bottom lip while she thinks. Finally, she looks up at me with a small smile on her face. "Yeah, that'd be great, actually. But only if you're okay with it. I know we don't know each other very well, but in case you haven't noticed, I have a hard time letting people into my life."

I can't stop the laughter that shoots out of my mouth. I worry about pissing her off, but when I see her roll her eyes at me before giggling, I know she's fine.

"That's a fucking understatement, Bella, but it's cool. I get that you want to protect yourself, as well as your son."

"Thanks," she says. She takes a step closer to me, and the energy in the room starts to spark. "I don't want you to get your hopes up that this will evolve into something more, Edward. This does not mean we're dating or that you have some claim on me. Got it?"

I move to where we're face to face and nothing's between us. "Got it." I lower my head to hers, preparing to seal the deal with a kiss when she puts her hand between our mouths.

"No kissing. It's too personal."

What is this, _Pretty Woman_? Fuck that.

"Bella, if you remember, we've already kissed. And it was damn good. In fact, I've been dying to kiss you again ever since you stormed out of the club that night." Our lips are so close we're sharing breaths. "Don't tell me you really want to deny us that kind of pleasure now that we're finally together again."

I lick my lips, and she attacks me.

Her mouth and tongue claim me until her teeth and fingernails get in on the action, leaving trails of the most beautiful kind of destruction on my skin. She's ravenous and wild, and I fucking love that she wants me as much as I want her.

I must have blacked out at some point because I have no recollection of my shirt being taken off. Maybe I was just mesmerized by the feel of Bella in my arms again. When her hands grab for my belt buckle, I stop her.

"Slow down. Let me undress you," I tell her. My voice is deep, raspy even, but she complies with my request.

I carefully remove her sweater and toss it on the nearby chair. Her breasts are practically spilling out of her bra, especially since she's breathing so heavily, but I force my attention to the fucking combat boots. As soon as they're unlaced, she helps me by kicking them off. Next, I go for the waistband of her jeans, undoing the fly and pulling them down her legs. I squat down to finish removing the denim from her body and place soft kisses on her thighs and stomach before standing back up.

Bella watches every step, and the lust darkening her eyes is impossible to miss. I lean down and kiss her again. This kiss has more control but just as much intensity as the one before, and I swear I could kiss this woman forever.

My hands travel to her back, and I swiftly unhook her bra. Bella wastes no time pulling the straps off and letting the material fall to the floor.

In all my life, I've never seen a pair of tits more perfect than these. I've daydreamed about Bella's breasts so much over the last few weeks, wondering what they look and taste like, I almost want to pinch myself to make sure this moment is really happening. Instead, I pinch _her_. Rolling her nipples firmly with my fingers, I tug them a bit before I let my mouth envelop her puckered flesh.

Bella's nails scratch at my scalp while holding my head in place. "Edward," she moans. "Fuck me. Now. Please."

I want to so bad. I've had tunnel vision since that night at the club, only focusing on how to get Bella back into my bed… any bed. Now that's it's finally happening, I want to savor every minute.

"Not yet," I tell her, meeting her eyes and the opposition that is strong in them.

Before she can argue, I explain. "I didn't get to _see_ you the night we met. Granted, being blindfolded made the sex very intense, but I wish I could've seen you… your body move against mine… your face as you came. I want that now."

"But you can see me. I don't understand what more you want," she argues.

"Yes, I can see you, and you're the sexiest woman I've ever laid eyes on. But I also want to watch you."

She quirks her eyebrow at me. "Watch me?"

"Yeah, I want to watch you touch yourself. I want to watch you make yourself come, and then _I'm_ going to make you come."

Her breathing starts to pick up, and she bites her bottom lip before sliding her lace panties to the floor. "Okay."

 _Holy shit._

I didn't know if she'd agree or not. And I don't know how I'm going to manage to watch her and not touch her, but I'll do my damnedest to keep my hands to myself.

Bella crawls onto the bed and immediately starts caressing her tits. She licks her fingertips before pulling and twisting her nipples just like I was doing earlier.

 _I knew she'd like that._

I carefully sit at the end of the bed, mindful not to cause too much friction between my jeans and my dick. The last thing I want right now is to blow my load before getting inside Bella.

Her eyes never leave mine as she lies back, propping herself up on a stack of pillows.

"You're so fucking beautiful."

Her smile is genuine but is soon covered as she again wets her fingers before trailing them down her body. She spreads her legs, and I'm pretty sure I've died and gone to heaven.

I cuss under my breath and hop off the bed quickly to take my pants off. I truly will die if I ignore my cock any longer.

Bella giggles at me, then rubs a single finger from her slit to her clit, letting out a sigh of relief from finally being touched.

"You're so wet, Bella. Fuck, you're driving me crazy."

I'm mesmerized at the sight of Bella giving herself pleasure. She's not shy, and she knows exactly how and where to touch to make herself feel good. I want to know her body that well and maybe, just maybe, teach her a few new tricks.

She inserts two of her fingers inside her pussy, and my hand automatically goes to my cock and squeezes.

Her back is arched, and her moans keep getting louder and louder.

"That's it, Bella. Make yourself come."

"You too," she gasps. "Come on my tits and stomach. Hurry."

No way am I turning down that request.

My boxer briefs are discarded within seconds, and I'm on my knees next to her, dick in hand. She fucks herself with her left hand and rubs her clit with her right while I pump my cock in short, firm strokes.

Even after everything I've experienced sexually, _this_ is the most erotic thing I've ever done. It's raw yet intimate, and I feel like we're becoming bonded beyond our bodies right now.

"I'm coming, Edward. Oh, god!"

Watching her body tense and pulse and spasm as she groans so loud I'm sure our neighbors two doors down can hear causes my orgasm to rip through me, painting white ribbons over her chest and stomach.

She lies there, satiated for a moment, sighing as the last of her orgasm fades. I fall onto the bed next to her and let the blood flow back to other parts of my body, wondering what the fuck just happened.

Damn, that was fast.

When I glance over and see Bella rubbing my cum into her skin, I feel my dick twitch. He knows that's fucking hot. Seeing myself on her and her liking it is just the catalyst I need to be ready for more.

"That was…" Bella drifts off and rolls onto her side, her soft bare leg tangling with mine.

"Yeah," I agree, pulling her closer.

Last time, she bolted. But not this time. This time, I'm gonna get my round two.

* * *

 **A/Ns:**

 **Jenny Kate: *waggles eyebrows*** Well, well, well. What do we have here?

 **Jiff:** Yasss, I needed some lemony goodness in my sweet tea and that hit the spot!

 **Jenny Kate:** Just what the doctor ordered...or Edward. I doubt he expected to see Bella at the bar, let alone get her to agree to meet up with him.

 **Jiff** : I think she surprised everyone (including herself) with how the evening turned out.

 **Jenny Kate:** Well, no complaints from me. In fact, I want round two just as much as Edward. *winks* Should we tell them that we almost left them on a lemon cliffie?

 **Jiff** : No, let's keep that just between us two. We don't want to be accused of cockblocking… lemon blocking?

 **Jenny Kate:** True. We'd rather be known as lemon dealers. And, who knows? There *might* be more where this came from.

 **Jiff:** *crosses fingers*

 **Jenny Kate:** In case you're wondering (and didn't see our message in the group), we're only posting on Fridays for now. This self-publishing business is hard work and very time-consuming, but hopefully, we'll be caught up soon and can go back to our Tues/Fri schedule.

 **Jiff:** Thanks for being patient with us! Thank you, also, to Team Jiffy Kate: GeekChic12, beta-extraordinaire, and Rachel and Pamela, our super pre-readers!


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** **We don't own Twilight or any other identifiable entities. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

As I push into her, staring down at her gorgeous face, I'm having trouble believing this is real life. Still. Even after watching her pleasure herself and coming all over her, I still find myself needing reassurance that this isn't some vivid dream. But this is more than a production or a performance; it's more than her buying me off an auction block. Somewhere between her walking through the hotel door and being under me, things changed. She might not want to admit it, but I feel it. I feel it in the way her hands are grasping and clinging to my back. I feel it in the way her thighs are squeezing my torso, begging for more. I feel it in the way she's looking at me right this moment, biting her lip to keep from crying out. But it doesn't work.

It's loud.

It's mutual.

It's fucking phenomenal.

If I thought our first sexual encounter changed my life, this one is rearranging my future. There's no way I'm going to be able to not have her as much as she'll let me.

"Oh, God," she says in a high pitch, close to crying. "Fuck."

"Yeah, baby. That's what we're doing," I tell her, leaning down toward her ear and biting gently on her lobe.

Her nails scratch my back as she digs in deeper. "Harder," she pleads, but she doesn't have to. I'll give her anything she wants. Any fucking thing.

As sweat beads up on my forehead, I thrust harder, giving her the friction she desires. Looking down, I'm glad we kept the lights on. I missed out on so much the first time. I love seeing the desperation in her eyes, knowing she's as into this as I am. The blindfold was great, but this is better.

"You're so beautiful," I tell her, chasing my breath.

Her mouth falls open, like she's going to say something, but all that comes out is a satisfied moan before her eyes fall shut and she pushes her head farther into the pillow.

I take the opportunity to feast on her neck, tasting and nipping, letting my lips hover around the base near her shoulder.

She moves her hands from my back to my hair and pulls tight, crying out as I rock harder against her.

There's no barrier except for the condom on my dick. Nothing between us but the sweat dripping from our bodies. I don't want to come yet. I want this to last, so I switch positions, rolling onto my back and taking her with me. Her hands press into my chest as she creates her own rhythm—riding me, owning me.

"Do whatever feels good, Bella. I want to see you come. I want to see that beautiful face when you fall apart on top of me."

Taking my words as her cue, she does just that. She uses me for her pleasure. I grip her hips, my fingertips digging into her soft skin, encouraging her to be as fast and hard as she needs to get off. Before long, her pussy tightens, and her entire body trembles as she completely comes undone. I lean up, holding her to me, allowing her to ride out her orgasm. It takes a few minutes, but she slowly comes back to me.

I push the damp hair from her face and look into her eyes. Something about this—the position, the closeness—feels too right, too vulnerable. With hooded eyes, she watches me. I think about pulling out and finishing myself off in the bathroom because I'm not sure if she wants to continue. She looks spent, and I don't want to take any more than she wants to give. But before I can move her off me, she pushes up and sits back on her heels, giving me the most glorious view of her hot, slick center and her flushed tits. She looks wild, feral, and freshly fucked. It's her best look yet. She's always beautiful, but I'd like to keep her this way 24/7. Me. No one else. Just me.

I sit there, waiting for her cue. My dick is still at full attention, and she notices. Her eyes travel down my body, and she smirks at my cock before looking me in the eye. "How do you want me?" she asks boldly.

 _Holy fuck._

I swallow hard. "On your hands and knees," I tell her without thinking.

She smiles a sly smile and climbs to the center of the bed with her ass in the air.

I take a moment to say a prayer of gratitude and then take a deep breath to keep myself from blowing my load before I get back inside her.

 _Dead puppies._

 _Saggy grandma titties._

I line up to her entrance and slide in. It's hot and wet and fucking heaven. For a second, I just bask in the goodness of Bella's pussy until I have to move. With my hands gripping her round ass tightly, I pull back and then slam back in, watching myself enter her over and over. Bella's cries of pleasure spur me on. Her choppy breaths and tiny screams cause the coiling heat in my stomach to multiply. When she turns her head around to watch, I lose it. With short quick thrusts, I come so hard and long my vision blurs, and I become light-headed.

Bella falls onto her elbows, and it takes all my strength to hold myself off her. Leaning back on my heels, I pull out and carefully roll the condom off. Barely making it off the bed without face-planting, I toss the condom in the trash and then fall back down on the bed beside Bella.

We lie there, breathing, letting our heads come back from wherever they've been.

After a few minutes, she slowly rolls toward me, and I feel her eyes on me.

I guess we should talk.

"So, how do we do this?" I ask, running my hand through my hair. I don't want to come off too needy, so I try to play her game. Keep things casual.

"I have your number," she says, rolling back onto her back and staring at the ceiling. "I'll text you."

"And what if I can't make it?" I turn to face her, needing to see her face.

She shrugs before answering. "That's fine."

"What if I want to see you?" I ask.

"Then you can text me."

"What should I say?"

"Emergency."

I laugh, trying to make light of this arrangement we're making, but thinking of this in a casual manner doesn't sit well with me. "Okay."

"And if I can't make it, I'll text back, 'call 911'."

This time, my laugh is real.

She looks at me, and her eyes are light and carefree. "And we meet here," she says. "If I text you, I'll pay for the room. If you text me, you pay for the room."

"What about Sundays?" I ask, feeling a rock thud as it drops into the pit of my stomach when she turns her head toward me. The sparkle in her eyes fades, and the seriousness returns.

She looks at me hard as her teeth come down on her bottom lip. "I guess we can still do Sundays at the park," she says tentatively. "On one condition."

"Whatever you want," I tell her, because not seeing Luke would really suck. I'm trying to keep the desperation out of my voice, but I think I'm failing.

Her features soften for a moment, but then her eyebrows squeeze together, like she's thinking really hard. "Don't get attached, okay?"

"No," I shake my head, more for myself than her. "I'm not. I just… well, Queenie really loves playing with Luke. She doesn't get much outside time because I'm always working and sh—"

"It's fine, Edward," she says, cutting off my embarrassing ramble. "Luke really loves it too. I just don't want to muddy the waters."

"No mud. I promise."

"Where do you work?" she asks, like it just dawned on her she doesn't know. "You know where I work, so I think it's only fair that I know where you work."

Tit for tat. Is that how it is? I smile, kinda loving that I have something over on her, but it fades quickly because unlike her, I want her to know everything about me… my job, my family, where I see myself in five years. But I start with my job. "I work for Wallace Advertising."

She nods her head. "Advertising," she says, mulling it over. "So, what exactly do you do?"

"Right now, Emmett and I are getting ready to pitch our sales campaign idea to McDavid."

"The big car dealership?" she asks, sliding off the bed and gathering her clothes.

"Yep. Our meeting is this Wednesday," I tell her, looking at the time and knowing I need to get home. Speaking of McDavid reminds me that Emmett and I still have a lot of work ahead of us tomorrow to prepare for the meeting.

"Is that a pretty big account?" She walks into the bathroom, and I can't help but watch her as she goes—her ass bouncing perfectly and her dark hair swaying loosely down her back.

I clear my throat and my thoughts, forcing myself back into the conversation. "One of the biggest I've worked on so far."

"That's good. You seem to like it," she says loudly, splashing water on her face and then drying it with a towel. When she walks back out, her hair is once again twisted up in a bun.

"I do. It's competitive, and the environment is always changing. I love a challenge, and advertising offers plenty of those. We have season tickets for the Rangers on the line with this one." I pull my jeans on, stuffing my still semi-erect cock into the confines. I think as long as I'm in the vicinity of Bella, I'll always be somewhat hard. It's like a law of physics or some shit.

"Oh, I see. A little side bet to sweeten the deal." She smiles as she slips her own jeans on.

"Yeah, our boss knows how to dangle the carrot in front of us."

"You keep saying we and us. Do you have a partner?"

"Yeah, I've been working with Emmett on this campaign."

"Really? That big guy is in advertising?" she asks, fastening her bra and hiding her fabulous tits. As each piece of her body gets covered, I miss it.

"Emmett is fierce. I know he comes off like a big kid, but he's really good at his job."

"You two are tight."

"Yeah, we've been friends forever. Long before Wallace."

"That's nice." She smiles softly and slips her feet into the combat boots.

"Yeah." I stand there, fully dressed, wishing like hell we could rewind and go back to me opening the door and her standing there. I want to do it all over again… and again… and again.

"Well," she says, putting her bag on her shoulder and slipping her phone into her pocket. "I guess I should go."

"Yeah," is all I can say. I want to say so much more, but I don't. More would scare her off. More would close the tiny bit of space she's allowed me in. More would send us back to being mere acquaintances. So I'll bide my time, and I'll take what she can give me. For now. "I'll walk you to your car."

As we walk out the door and into the hall, I put my hand on the small of her back, and she tenses slightly. It's small, but I feel it, so I drop my hand and settle for walking close to her.

"So, how'd you get into nursing?" I ask, trying to make small talk and hold on to her presence just a little while longer.

"Uh, my dad," she replies, but I feel the weight in her words, and something tells me there's more there. "And I'm not a nurse. I'm a physician's assistant."

"Oh, I just saw your name badge that night I was in the ER and assumed…" I say, walking onto the elevator behind her.

"Yeah, I was going for my MD, but stuff happened… life," she says, trailing off, not saying too much. Her head dips forward, and I watch her as she watches her feet. When the elevator stops on the ground floor, we step out into the quiet, empty lobby. At this time of night, not many people are checking in and out of the Omni. "Anyway, I changed courses and became a PA. It's good. It allows me to work in the ER, which is something I've always wanted. It's fast-paced, always changing."

"Kinda like advertising," I say, smiling.

She offers me a small smile in return and nods. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Well, this is me," she says, pointing to the beat-up Volkswagen.

"I had fun tonight," I tell her, feeling my cheeks heat up with the admission.

"Me too." She unlocks the car and tosses her bag into the passenger seat. "I'll see you later."

"Sunday, if not before," I tell her.

She nods and gets in the car. "Hope you have a good meeting on Wednesday."

"Thanks." I smile and watch as she closes the door, only to roll down the window. "What constitutes an emergency?" I ask, bracing my hands against the car door.

She twists her lips to keep from smiling. "I'll let you be the judge of that."

She rolls her eyes and laughs. Without another word, she rolls up her window and drives away, once again leaving me watching her tail lights and wishing she was still here… always leaving me wanting more.

* * *

 **A/Ns:**

 **Jenny Kate:** *frantically waves hands around in the air* I HAVE AN EMERGENCY!

 **Jiff:** There's a fire, Lord Jesus! A fire in mah pants that can only be put out by Edward!

 **Jenny Kate:** I don't know if I need a fire extinguisher or some ShamWow panties. The struggle is real.

 **Jiff:** *fans self* Yes, girl! How's everyone else feeling out there? We told you there'd be more!

 **Jenny Kate:** Hopefully, we have a lot of emergencies in our future. ;) How was everyone's Thanksgiving, for those who celebrate?

 **Jiff:** We're so very thankful for each and every one of you!

 **Jenny Kate:** And for our team: Geekchic12, Rachel (J Ray), and Pamela! We couldn't do this without y'all! We love you so much!

 **P.S.** ICYMI: our first book is being released on Monday and we're so excited! There will be a lot of giveaways and fun stuff happening over on Facebook. Be sure to "like" our author page so you don't miss out!


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:** **We don't own Twilight or any other identifiable entities. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

"Dude! How long have you been here?" Emmett strides into my office wearing his power suit, complete with a silk tie and cufflinks. I can see in his eyes he's ready to win this account, and I'm confident he can see the same in mine.

"I've been here since six. I was so hyped up I couldn't sleep any longer." I lean over the pool table and knock the eight ball into the corner pocket before immediately setting up for another game.

To be honest, today's pitch for the McDavid account wasn't the only thing keeping me up. I haven't seen nor heard from Bella since our first night at the hotel, and I feel like I'm losing my mind. It's only been three days, but now that I've had her— _really_ had her—I need more of her. Now. My stubborn side isn't letting me give in too soon, though, and my dick is paying the consequences.

Emmett grabs his pool stick and breaks the balls, landing a striped ball in a pocket. "We _so_ got this, Edward. I even bought myself a personalized Rangers' jersey last night as an early congratulations present."

I'm not normally a superstitious guy, but my stomach flips a bit, worried we might be too cocky. When I think about all of the hard work Em and I have done on this pitch, I relax again. It seemed daunting at first, coming up with a new ad campaign for one of the biggest car dealerships in the country, but once we started working on it, the great ideas started flowing. Mr. McDavid would be an idiot to not choose us.

There's a knock on my office door before Angela, our office assistant, enters.

"Good morning. I just wanted to let you know that the conference room is set up with everything you need for the presentation and that Mr. McDavid's secretary called to say he's on his way. He should be here in about twenty minutes."

"Thanks, Ange. We'll be ready here shortly," I assure her. She nods her head and leaves while I sink a solid ball in a side pocket.

After our game, I put on my suit jacket and run my fingers through my hair, hoping to tame it some. Professional appearances are important in this business, and I don't want Mr. McDavid to think we're too young or inexperienced to handle his account.

We're in the conference room, ready to start when McDavid arrives. He shakes our hands and sits at the head of the table before telling us his vice president of sales is running a bit late but will be here soon.

"Not a problem, Mr. McDavid," Emmett tells him. "Would you care to look over our portfolio while we wait?"

"That's quite all right, son. I've done my homework on you two, and I'm very interested in what your ideas are for my company."

"Excellent." Emmett beams as he rubs his large hands together. "Edward and I are confident you'll be pleased with what we have in store for you and the future of David McDavid Automotives."

While Emmett and Mr. McDavid engage in a conversation that covers trucks, football, and where to get the best steak, I zone out and think about Bella again.

I can't figure her out, and it drives me crazy. I know we're supposed to be casual—fuck buddies or whatever—but the more I'm with her, the more I want. Not just her body, either. I want everything, to know everything. The clues she gives me… the things she says and does… they make no sense.

Her job, her son, the club, two very different vehicles, and those fucking combat boots. What do they mean?

The way she bites her lip to hide her smile from me, her smoldering eyes, her laugh, and the way she moans my name when I'm inside her. What do _they_ mean?

Fuck. Now is not the time to let myself get distracted.

I walk to the corner of the room and pour myself a glass of water. Emmett and Mr. McDavid are still going on about whether Tony Romo will survive the next football season when the door opens, allowing a very tall, very blonde woman to walk in.

"Sorry I'm late, Mr. McDavid, gentlemen," she says, addressing the room with confidence. She gives me a polite smile and a nod of her head before turning to do the same to Emmett. When her eyes reach him, though, her face hardens briefly before a fake grin appears.

 _What the hell?_

Looking at Emmett, I notice he's gone deathly pale. I don't even think the guy's blinking. As much as I can't wait to find out what the fuck is going on, we have an account to win.

"Boys, this is my shining star, Rosalie Hale. If I hire you, the three of you will be working very closely during this campaign, so I thought she should sit in on your presentation."

"That's a great idea," I say, glancing over at Emmett and silently telling him to get his shit together. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Hale. I'm Edward Cullen." I offer my hand, and she takes it in her firm grasp, shaking it, showing she means business.

"Thank you, Mr. Cullen. It's _Ms._ Hale, actually." She turns a death glare to Emmett and asks, "And you are?"

Watching my best friend stammer and sweat in front of a woman is quite entertaining, and it doesn't happen nearly as often as it should. He finally pushes away from table and stands, indiscreetly wiping his hand on the leg of his slacks before sticking it in Ms. Hale's direction.

"I'm Emmett, ma'am. Emmett McCarty. It's a pleasure to be in your presence, ma'am. I mean, Miss… uh, Rosalie… Hale. Yeah, Rose, that's you. Rosalie Hale, mmhmm."

The words rush from his mouth, and I want to crawl under the table and die from secondhand embarrassment. If he fucks this up because he has a boner for this woman, I'll kill him.

Mr. McDavid begins howling with laughter. So much so, he's soon pulling a handkerchief out of his breast pocket to dab at his eyes.

"Simmer down, Mr. McCarty. You're not the first person my Rosie has had this effect on, and I dare say, you won't be the last. It's one of the many reasons I hired her. Her beauty and brains make for a killer combination, wouldn't you agree?"

Emmett simply nods his head, still staring at the poor woman. When he finally tries to speak, I notice the way his mouth gapes, but nothing comes out. I can't take it anymore. There's no way in hell I'm going to let him ruin this for us, so I stand and grip his shoulder firmly as I make my way to the head of the table. "Thank you for the opportunity to pitch our campaign ideas to you this morning, Mr. McDavid. And Ms. Hale, I'm so glad you could join us. I hope this is the beginning of a wonderful working relationship."

I smooth the front of my suit, making sure my tie is tucked neatly inside my jacket. As Emmett clears his throat, I cut my eyes over to him to silently tell him to just sit there and let me handle it, but his eyes are trained across the table to the leggy blonde. She's also not hearing a word I'm saying, her icy blue glare shooting over at Emmett.

As the two of them battle it out in a stare-down of epic proportions, I continue the pitch Emmett and I have been working on for the past few months, hoping I can impress Mr. McDavid enough to give us the account.

Smiling, I pick up the remote control. "Let's get started, shall we?" I ask as I flip to the first visual aide.

Emmett is so paying for this little stunt. He knows the rules: you never fuck the competition, you never fuck the clients, and if for some reason you break the first two rules, you never bring that shit into the boardroom.

He's obviously broken two of those rules.

.

.

.

"Edward, my boy," Mr. McDavid says, shaking my hand and clapping my shoulder all at the same time. "That was one of the best spiels I've ever heard. Shit, _I'd_ buy a fleet of cars after hearing your campaign."

"Well, thank you, Mr. McDavid," I tell him, smiling as I return his firm handshake. "We look forward to working with you and for you, sir."

"I wasn't sure the two of you could handle this. I have to admit I was a little hesitant when I heard Frank and Joe had handed this over to you, but I see why they put so much confidence in you." His distinguished gray mustache twitches as he smiles. "I heard about the little side wager you two had going. How about I sweeten the deal with a box suite?"

My smile grows, and I glance over to Emmett, who seems to be back in control of his capacities. His eyes widen, and he steps in a little closer. "We'd definitely be interested, Mr. McDavid."

"You get me the numbers I'm looking for on the next quarter's sales report, and the suite is yours for the season."

"You've got yourself a deal," I tell him, shaking his hand even harder.

"Ms. Hale will be in contact."

"It was great meeting you both," she says, her bitch-brow going up as she looks at Emmett. "Monday morning. I want to get started on this as quickly as possible."

I nod as they both walk out of the room.

"What the fuck was that?" I ask as the door shuts.

"Fuck," Emmett says, groaning as he slouches down into one of the chairs. He leans his head back and blows out a deep breath.

"You've got some 'splainin' to do, Lucy," I tell him, taking the chair beside him. As I loosen my tie, Emmett groans again and rubs his eyes with his palms.

"She's the one, isn't she? The one from the club?" I ask, knowing I'm right before he even says it.

"Yes."

I lean back in my chair and laugh. Uncontrollably. I don't know why it strikes me as so funny, but it does.

"It's not funny," Emmett whines. He _literally_ whines like a toddler.

"Oh, yes it is." I wipe the tears from my eyes and sit up, leaning over on the table as I collect myself. "This is actually the funniest turn of events I've witnessed in a long damn time."

"What the fuck am I supposed to do now?" he asks.

"You're going to do your fucking job. That's what."

The chair Emmett was sitting in flies back as he stands up. "How in the fuck am I supposed to do that?"

I look up to see my friend coming unhinged. "It's going to be fine. You can handle this."

"Says who?" he asks, whipping around with a crazed look in his eye. "There's a reason I stopped going to that fucking club."

 _Wait. What?_

"Wait. You stopped going to the club?"

"Yes."

"When?"

"When Sam kicked me out for almost beating the shit out of some guy that bid on Rosie."

"Who the fuck is _Rosie?_ "

"Rosalie Hale," he says loudly, pointing at the door. "Tall blonde chick that has my balls in a box and carries them around in her fucking briefcase!" He kicks the chair and then sits back down in it forcefully. "How the fuck am I supposed to work with her now? I'm going to ruin this for us." He holds his head in his hands and starts pulling at his hair.

I can't watch him crumble like this, so I do the only thing a friend can do at a time like this. I walk over, put my hands on his shoulders, and force him to look at me. Then I slap him. Kinda like a girl. But it's better than me punching him in his cry-baby nose. "Wake the fuck up, and get your shit together."

He looks at me with wide eyes and palms his cheek where I made contact.

"You're going to be the Emmett McCarty I know and love. You're going to kick ass and take names. You're going to be so fucking good at your job that she's going to be groveling at your feet and begging to suck your dick. Got me?"

He nods, still rubbing his cheek.

"And we're going to show McDavid the best damn sales numbers he's seen, and he's going to give us that suite, and we're going to be living it up and laughing in those douchebags from Friedman's faces."

He takes a deep breath and nods again... still rubbing his cheek. Fucking pussy.

"You're not going to fuck this up, because I'm not going to let you." I clap his shoulder with my hand and give it a good squeeze. "Bros before hoes."

He nods again. "Yeah, okay. I can do this."

"Fuck yes, you can do this."

"And we'll get that box suite."

"Yes, we will."

He stands up, and I direct him toward the door.

"But for now," I say as we walk out of the conference room, "we need meat and beer. Let's go get some lunch."

"Why'd you have to hit me?" he asks as he allows me to lead him down the hallway.

"It was necessary. Besides, I didn't hit you. I slapped you. It's different."

"I think you left a mark."

"Suck it up, you pussy, or I'll tell Ms. Hale you sleep with the afghan your mamaw made for you when you were three."

"You fucking prick," he says, shaking his head as we walk down the sidewalk.

Oh, this is gonna be fun.

.

.

.

After half-pound burgers and a pitcher of beer, Emmett and I are basking in our greatness. The Ms. Hale debacle has been put to bed for the moment, and we're discussing how we're going to make this McDavid account our bitch. The fact that Mr. McDavid wants to throw in the box suite has us kicking it into high gear, wasting no time formulating a game plan. We want to be firing on all cylinders when we meet with Rosalie on Monday.

Now that I know what's up, I'll be able to play referee when needed, and hopefully, we'll all three be able to work together to see this thing through. Worst case scenario, I'll handle the meetings with Rosalie solo. I'm not sure how Emmett would handle that. Now that he's passed the shock and awe of the moment, I can tell he really likes her.

It worries me, but I feel for the guy. I try to put myself in his position, and I realize on one hand, it sucks—having a sexual past with a client is never good—but on the other hand, it's kinda like fate or some shit. Emmett quit going to the club because he couldn't handle seeing Rose with other guys. He removed himself from the situation, or rather Sam did. And now, here she is, showing up where he least expected it.

Kinda like Bella.

A lot like Bella.

Just the thought of her makes me rub my chest and will my dick to mind its manners.

I wonder if she'll ever text me or if that was just her way to get rid of me. But she agreed that we could still see each other on Sundays, even though I haven't had the chance to test that one out yet. I guess she could be planning to stand me up at the park too.

Fuck.

Emmett excuses himself to the bathroom, and I take the opportunity to check my phone. Just in case.

Nothing.

"Refill?" the waitress asks as she walks by our table.

"Nah, just the check," I tell her, putting my phone back in my pocket and pulling out my credit card.

Part of me, the one that closely resembles a girl, wants to shoot Bella a text. Just a _hi_ or _how's your week going_. I miss her.

The waitress comes back with the ticket, and I hand her my card.

Just as Emmett sits back down in the booth, I feel my pocket vibrate. I practically rip the fabric of my pants trying to get it back out, and my heart leaps out of my throat.

"What's wrong with you?" Emmett asks, eyeing me warily.

I ignore him and look at the phone like it's grown two eyes and legs and arms… It's now my best friend in the whole wide world.

 _ **emergency**_

* * *

 **A/Ns:**

 **Jenny Kate:** EMERGENCY! Fire down below!

 **Jiff:** WOOT! Our girl caved first and at the right time, too! Go get you some, Edward!

 **Jenny Kate:** And can we talk about poor Emmett for a second. Dude was completely losing his shit. LOL

 **Jiff:** Man, that was rough yet pretty hilarious. Poor guy. The mighty Emmett was taken down with one look from Rose!

 **Jenny Kate:** Slayed by the blonde-haired beauty. Can't wait to see what happens with those two.

 **Jiff** : I can't wait to see how Edward answers his text!

 **Jenny Kate:** I'm sure we can all guess on that one. LOL. The question is will he even make it to the hotel before he combusts?

 **Jiff:** He might need to pre-game before he gets there. Just saying.

 **Jenny Kate:** We should probably wrap this up before I make myself late to work daydreaming about Edward pre-gaming.

 **Jiff:** *wipes drool off chin* Oh, yeah, that's probably a good idea. Thanks to our fabulous team: Geekchic12 for her most excellent beta skills and Rachel and Pamela for their outstanding pre-reading abilities! We love y'all!


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** **We don't own Twilight or any other identifiable entities. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 12**

As soon as the door to the hotel room opens, Bella pounces.

The door slams, and I'm shoved against it while being attacked by her luscious mouth. She's everywhere all at once, and I do my best to keep up and keep my hands on her… anywhere… as long as I'm touching her.

I'd been in a meeting with my boss when I got her text this evening. It kinda came as a shock since we just met here two nights ago. Even though we don't have a set schedule, Bella and I can usually make it a couple of days before one of us caves and sends out the bat signal. When she texted me twice within ten minutes, I dropped everything I was doing and came here as quickly as possible.

She's fucking wild tonight—ravenous—pushing me against the door, slinking down my body, and kneeling in front of me. I don't even get a chance to catch my breath or register what she's doing before she has my pants unzipped and my dick in her mouth, sucking like her life depends on it. I grab her hair tightly and thrust deeper into her mouth because I know she likes it this way. After being fuck buddies for the past month, I know her body and her needs as well as I know my own.

It's not always like this, though. We're not always this frantic and rough with each other. Sometimes, we fuck deep and slow, memorizing every inch of each other before coming together. Those are the nights I like best, because although we don't talk about it and Bella would never admit it, I can feel us growing closer. It's intimate, passionate.

Nights like tonight—wild and primal—normally happen when one or both of us have had a shitty or stressful day and we just need to fuck it out of our systems. Bella is obviously tenser than I am, but I'm not complaining. I'll happily screw the stress out of her anytime she needs it.

"Bella, I'm gonna come if you don't slow down," I warn her.

She tightens her mouth around my cock but then slowly slides off, letting it pop out of her mouth, making me groan from the pleasure. When she stands, I finally take notice of what she's wearing. Or _not_ wearing, to be exact. Her tits are bare, and my hands gravitate to them, twisting and pulling her nipples. She's also not wearing panties, only a black lacy garter belt with black stockings being held on with the attached clips. Then there are the shoes. Three-inch heels that make her the perfect height for me to fuck her up against the door, which is exactly what I want to do.

Bella reaches around to my back pocket and pulls out the condom package she knows is there, tearing it open and sliding it down my length in the blink of an eye.

I slide my hand through her long hair at the nape of her neck and pull her mouth to mine, letting my tongue delve deep inside her mouth while I move my other hand between her legs. She's wet and slick and so ready for me. I can't wait another second. Turning us around, I press her back against the door. Her breaths are coming out in small pants, and a sexy smile plays on her lips. This is what she was hoping for. And I'm going to give it to her.

Kissing her jaw, I bend down and grip her knee, wrapping it around my waist. As I line up with her entrance, I lean forward and place my lips at her ear, listening as she sucks in a breath when I fill her completely.

 _Fuck._

"Yes," Bella whispers, and her hot breath covers my neck before she sucks on my skin, licking and biting as I thrust harder. This is how she shows her feelings. She doesn't use words; she uses her body. She's marking my skin just as she marked my heart weeks ago, and I fucking love it. She can mark me wherever the hell she wants.

"Harder, Edward. Please."

As much as I like fucking her against the door, I need her on the bed. I need to see her when she comes for me. Grabbing her ass, I hoist her up, carrying her to the edge of the bed, removing my shirt, and pushing my slacks down to my feet while still inside her. I place both of her ankles on my left shoulder and wrap my arms around her thighs before I start pounding into her. The blood leaves my head and goes straight to my cock, giving me a light-headed feeling, something close to euphoria.

"Fuck, yes! That's it. Just like that," she yells. I love it when she's loud, and I love that I make her that way. Me.

Spreading her legs, I look down at her. Her hair is wild and spread out around her head, and her hands are desperately looking for something to hold on to. One claws at the bed covers while the other grabs her breast, rolling her nipple between her finger and thumb.

 _So_ fucking sexy.

I hold her legs away from my body with both hands so I can move more freely. Sweat trickles down my back as my hips pivot, hitting her clit with my pelvis. When she screams for more, I drape each knee over my shoulders, getting closer… deeper… before running my thumb through her wet folds and pressing down on her clit.

Her thighs quake, and her pussy squeezes around me, and soon, her orgasm is taking over. I love watching her let go like this. She completely embraces the full-body experience and doesn't hold back in any way. Her sounds and movements work together to express the pleasure she feels, and I wish everyone could experience sex this way. It's beautiful.

Just before her orgasm slows, I slam into her three more times while still pressing on her swollen nub. I explode inside of her as she comes again, pulling me deeper as we ride this one out together.

Unable to stand or walk or think, I drape myself over her. My head is spinning, and I feel like I just ran a fucking marathon. I kiss her cheek and then her neck, slowly pulling out and immediately missing the heat and warmth.

When I think I can hold my own, I stand up and take off my remaining clothes and toss the condom into the nearby trashcan. Then I crawl back onto the bed and pull Bella to me, covering us with the blanket. Eventually, sleep takes us both, silent and sated.

Two hours later, we're awake but still lying in the same position. It took us a couple of weeks before we started snuggling like this after sex, and now, we do it every time. I've never been much of a snuggler, and I get the feeling Bella wasn't either. But she's much more relaxed and talkative when we're like this, and I can't help but think we're bonding on a deeper level than just fucking.

"How's the McDavid account going?" Bella asks as she's draped across my chest, drawing swirls on my skin with her fingertip.

"It's going well. We're pretty close to finishing the first part of the new campaign, so we'll be doing a test run soon."

"And Emmett and Rosalie?" she asks, letting out a small chuckle.

I've told Bella all about Em and Rose and how they behaved during our pitch. Now, she expects weekly updates on them and how they pretend to hate each other while we're working on this ad campaign.

"They're as loud as ever," I answer. "They spend their time either arguing in the office or screwing in the closet, but they're getting their work done, so I don't really care. The funny thing is, they honestly think they're fooling everyone, but it's so obvious. I actually heard Rose tell Em she was bringing her flogger with her tomorrow." I groan, rubbing my eyes. The thought makes me feel like I need brain bleach.

She laughs, and I love how it feels against my chest. I love everything about this moment, in fact. I wish it didn't have to end.

I run my fingers through her thick hair, and she melts deeper into me with a relaxed moan. "How's Luke doing?"

She used to tense up when I'd ask about her son, but now she simply answers, "He's great." It's a small change that feels huge. "He's ready for Christmas break. I know that," she continues. "Every day, he circles something new in the Toys R Us Christmas catalog."

I chuckle, remembering how Alice and I would spend hours circling things in that damn catalog. Mom would always tease us and tell us we should just submit the entire thing as our Christmas list.

She laughs. "He's obsessed with anything you can build." Her content sigh makes me do the same. And once again, I'm filled with awe for this woman.

I normally don't put a lot of thought into Christmas. I mean, my family always does the holiday up big, and Emmett and I will do something fun together, but Bella is the only person I know with a young kid. As far as I know, she only has Luke and her mom. I know she does well for herself and can provide for her family, but I want to help too. Not financially—although I totally would if she needed help—but… I want to be there for her… and for Luke.

This is where our current situation gets tricky. Here I am, imagining being with her and Luke on Christmas Day, opening presents and having a great time, and yet, I seriously doubt she's had the same thoughts. She'll probably freak out and leave if I even suggest getting together for the holiday, so I'll just continue to bide my time... for now. That doesn't mean I won't be buying them gifts, because I absolutely will.

A smile breaks out across my face as I think about what to get Luke. It's been years since I've been to a toy store, but suddenly, I can't wait to go.

"Did you fall back asleep on me?" Bella asks.

"No, definitely not. I was just thinking about Christmas. I bet it's fun having a kid to buy for."

"It is. It's kinda magical, but Luke makes everything fun."

"I can see that. He's an awesome kid, Bella." I lightly trace her spine with my fingertips, causing her to shiver and snuggle closer to me. "Do you get together with other family members for the holidays or do any traveling?"

She picks her head up and looks at me. "Sometimes we travel, but most of the time, it's just me, Luke, and my mom at the house. We open presents, play, and eat cookies and candy all day. I love it."

I want to ask about her dad, but she's especially beautiful right now, the way her face lights up when she talks about her family, and I don't want to ruin it or make her sad. She's never brought him up, so I can only assume he's a sore subject.

"What about you?" she asks.

"Every holiday is a big deal in the Cullen family, especially Christmas. My parents go overboard on gifts for everybody—me, my sister, Alice, and her husband, Jasper, and even Emmett. Lots of food, lots of booze, and lots of laughter."

"Sounds perfect to me."

What would truly make it perfect is for her to be there with me. Luke, too. But I don't say that. Instead, I sit up, cup her face, and kiss her. As usual, the kiss escalates, and soon, Bella is straddling me.

I kiss my way down her neck and across her collarbone before she pushes on my shoulders, forcing us apart.

"I have to ask you something." Her voice sounds hesitant.

"Ask me anything," I encourage her.

I've never seen Bella look so nervous or vulnerable, and it makes me worry about what she's going to say.

"Well, I need to ask you a favor. My hospital has this big gala every December, and I was wondering if you'd be my date." Her eyes are everywhere but on me, and her lip is firmly planted between her front teeth. She's adorable when she's nervous.

"Bella, I'd love to go with you."

Big brown eyes fly up to meet mine, and I can't believe she's so surprised. "Really? You'll have to wear a tux. I know guys hate that kind of dress-up stuff… Well, so do I, to be honest, but… you'll really go?"

"Of course I'll go. Just tell me when and where to pick you up, and it's a date."

"It's next week. I'm sorry I didn't ask sooner. To be honest, I wasn't sure I should ask at all."

"Why not?"

"Because we're supposed to be fuck buddies, not fuck buddies who also date."

"I told you I'd be anything you need me to be, and if that means being your date for your office party, then that's what I'll be."

"Even though it's formal?"

"I already own a tux."

"Of course you do." She laughs, her body relaxing.

"But I do have a condition," I say, feeling her stiffen slightly.

"What?" She looks at me warily.

"You have to return the favor and be my date for my parents' party."

"I don't know," she says slowly. Her lip is back between her teeth, and the worry is back on her beautiful face. "I don't think fuck buddies should meet each other's parents." She tries to soften the blow of her words by pressing a kiss to my throat.

"But it's okay for fuck buddies to meet co-workers and children?" I try to keep the hurt out of my voice, but I'm sure I failed. "What other rules should we establish?"

"No being fuck buddies with anyone else," she says quickly, without thought, and I inwardly smile.

"Done. No more club," I counter.

"Fine." She huffs. "No more getting pissy when I try to make a joke."

"What are you talking about?"

"I was joking about meeting your parents."

"You were?"

"Yes. They sound great. I'd love to meet them."

I flip Bella onto her back, pinning her arms above her head. "No more making bad jokes."

Her laughter quickly turns to moaning when my mouth travels down her chest and lands on her nipple. I hold both her wrists in one hand, freeing the other to attend to her breasts just like my mouth is doing. Bella stretches, arching her back off the bed and driving me wild. I fucking love how uninhibited she is. She loves sex, she loves to feel good, and she's not afraid to go after what she wants. I'm just glad that, for now, it's me she wants.

I release her hands so I can move lower, groaning as she immediately starts tugging at my hair. When I get to her pubic bone, I spend extra time biting and sucking on her skin until she's thoroughly marked by my mouth. She's looking at the hickey when I glance up, and her eyes are hooded and dark.

"That's so fucking hot," she says with a gasp.

"Damn right," I agree, kissing my artwork one more time before moving to her pussy and showing her just how talented my mouth is.

* * *

 **A/Ns:**

 **Jiff:** UNFFFFF. Edward can leave that kind of artwork on me any time he wants.

 **Jenny Kate:** Yes, ma'am. *fans self*

 **Jiff** : So, in case you missed it, there was a time jump in this chapter. Edward and Bella have been meeting at the hotel for a month, now, and it seems they're finally getting closer on a more personal level.

 **Jenny Kate:** And they have some dates coming up, even though Bella probably doesn't want to think of them like that. They're dates, by golly!

 **Jiff:** We're the ones in control here! We'll call them dates if we want to!

 **Jenny Kate:** That's right! We're the bosses. I think I'm most looking forward to Bella meeting the Cullens.

 **Jiff** : Me, too! I imagine it's fun to watch just about anyone meet these Cullens. LOL

 **Jenny Kate:** Shit, I wanna meet these Cullens!

 **Jiff:** No kidding! It will be interesting, though, to see how Bella acts with Edward as her "date" at a work function. I wonder if she'll have her combat boots on? ;-)

 **Jenny Kate:** Hmmmmm...we'll just have to wait and see! I think we should wrap this up and post the chapter!

 **Jiff:** Let's do it!

 **Jenny Kate:** A BIG THANK YOU to our team for being their awesome selves: Geekchic12, beta-extraordinaire, and the two best pre-readers around, Rachel (JRay) and Pamela! We love y'all more than our luggage!

 **And a very merry Christmas to all of you, our wonderful readers! We hope you all have a great time with your families or celebrating however you choose. May all your days be merry and bright.**

 **We'll be posting chapter 13 next Saturday or Sunday. It'll be the hospital Christmas party and Meet the Cullens! You won't want to miss it!**


	13. Chapter 125

**Disclaimer:** **We don't own Twilight or any other identifiable entities. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 12.5**

 **emergency**

 _Shit._

I look at my phone and then back at the road.

 _Shit. Shit. Shit._

At the next stop light, I text a quick reply.

 _30 minutes?_

As I'm turning into the parking lot of the toy store, my phone buzzes from the passenger's seat again.

 **now**

I roll my eyes and grab the phone, but I can't help the small smile that forces its way onto my face.

" _call 911_ ," I type, laughing to myself before I press send. Neither of us has used that on the other since the night Bella set the rules of our relationship. I'm not saying we haven't kept the other waiting from time to time, but, eventually, we reply and show up.

 **Are you serious?**

I'm just getting ready to reply "yes" when some lady hits me with her basket from behind.

"Son of a bi—"

"Language," the lady screeches, covering her son's ears with her hands.

"I'm sorry, but you hit me with your basket." I bend down and rub my calf where it made contact. What I want to tell her is she should watch where's she's fucking going.

Without another word, the lady turns and begins speed walking into the store, obviously on some sort of timed shopping trip or something. Maybe she's playing in one of those game shows where you only have a set amount of time to fill your basket.

My pocket vibrates, reminding me I didn't reply to Bella's last text message.

 **hello?**

 _If you'll give me 30 minutes, I'll meet you._

 **Fine.**

What does _fine_ even mean? I've never understood that. Does it mean _okay, I'll see you in 30_ or _forget it, you loser, I'll find someone else to bang?_

I don't text back. I decide to leave it at that. Maybe I'll pick her up some flowers on the way to soften her up a little. Although, I'm not sure if she even likes flowers. I should know that. That's an important thing to know about the woman you're… fucking.

Sometimes, I have to remind myself that's all we are—fuck buddies. Even though, we're taking things public later this week, we still haven't made any changes to our arrangement...no official declarations of dating status.

I admit I allow the lines to blur, occasionally, but only in my head.

Once inside the store, I grab a basket and set off on a mission to find the coolest toy possible. I didn't ask Bella's permission to do this. Maybe I should have, but I kind of feel like mine and Luke's relationship is its own thing. We've bonded over our Sundays in the park and our love for Queenie. I also found out last week that he's obsessed with Star Wars. When I was looking around online for something cool to buy him, I found this four foot tall Stormtrooper that makes all kinds of cool sounds. I thought it might be something he doesn't have and possibly something Bella wouldn't buy.

Standing in the middle of the cluttered store, I realize I don't have the first clue where to find it. It's been a good fifteen years since I've stepped foot into a toy store. I try to find a person who looks like they work here but come up empty handed. After a few minutes pass, I decide I can't just stand around wasting time, so I start walking—up and down every aisle—looking for something Star Wars. Surely, they keep all of that stuff together.

On the fourth aisle, my phone buzzes again.

 **room 1913**

When I check the time, I realize it's already been fifteen minutes.

 _Shit._

Picking up the speed, I start zig-zagging the aisles again.

 _Bingo!_

After scanning over half the store, I turn down one of the back aisles and see the prize on the top shelf and there's only one. Looks like it's my lucky day.

If I hurry, I'll snag the Stormtrooper and be at the hotel room with a minute or two to spare.

Reaching up to grab it off the shelf, my phone buzzes again and I groan, rolling my eyes at Bella's persistence today. I actually love that about her, but she's really imposing on my toy shopping.

I'm about to text her back that I'll be there soon when a blur of activity takes place in front of me. A woman climbs on the bottom shelf, reaches up, and snags the Stormtrooper, placing it in her cart.

"That's mine," I tell her, because it is. I'm standing right in front of it and was just getting ready to take it off the shelf and put it into my own shopping cart before Bella's text side-tracked me.

"Um, no. It's in my basket, therefore, it's mine." The arch of her eyebrow tells me she means business, but I'm ready to fight for this. I drove all the way across town to this particular toy store because when I looked online they said it was in stock. I need this Stormtrooper. Without it, I'll be back at square one, trying to come up with the perfect gift for Luke… and _this_ is the perfect gift for Luke. So, I need this fucking Stormtrooper.

"Actually," I begin, trying to stay calm. "I was just getting ready to put it in _my_ basket before you came around the corner and swiped it."

"I didn't _swipe_ it," she says, annoyance thick in her voice. "It's free game as long as it's on the shelf." The way she rolls her eyes, like this is information I should know, pisses me the hell off.

"Well, it was rude of you to swoop in here and grab it right out from under me."

"Guess you shoulda been faster," she challenges, pushing my cart out of the way with hers and walking past me.

I can't let her get away.

I need that Stormtrooper.

It's four days before Christmas. I don't have time to keep looking.

"Ma'am," I call out to her retreating form, but she doesn't turn around.

I abandon my empty cart in the aisle and walk quickly to catch up with her.

"Ma'am!"

"This is harassment," she says, whipping her blonde hair around. "Do I need to get a manager?"

"Good luck finding one of those."

"Go. Find. Something else. To buy."

"I need _that_ ," I say, pointing into her basket.

"Yeah, well, it's the last thing I need on my kid's Christmas list, so you're not getting this one."

She continues walking up toward the checkout line and I start to panic.

My phone buzzes again and I want to throw it across the room. Bella really needs to chill. She has no idea what I'm dealing with here.

" _I'll be there_ ," I text back, wanting to add a bunch of exclamation points after it to show my annoyance.

 **Are you in a meeting?**

Oh, my God. What is with the questions? I don't reply because Blondie is getting away with my Stormtrooper.

As I watch her hand over her debit card, I decide that I'll let her pay out and give myself a minute to calm down and gather my wits. I can do this. If I can land big advertising accounts, I can convince a woman to give up a Stormtrooper.

Money talks, right?

Walking out the exit, I wait.

When she walks out a few minutes later, I approach with my hands raised in surrender, trying to make her feel comfortable. The last thing I need is for her to call the cops or something.

"So, your kid really wants that Stormtrooper, huh?" I begin, still trying to think of the right thing to say.

She groans in frustration and rolls her eyes as she pushes her cart past me and toward her car.

"I get it. I mean, I don't have kids or anything, but—"

"Are you kidding me?" she says, turning around. "Are you one of those weird fanboys or something?"

I frown, not knowing what she's talking about, but then I realize she thinks I want it for myself. "No," I say, running my hand through my hair and deciding on the straight forward approach. "My uh… girlfriend's little boy… I'm buying it for him. This is the first time I've bought him a gift and I want it to be something cool… something he'll remember." Bella would probably kill me for calling her my girlfriend, but I can't call her my fuck buddy in front of a stranger, besides that wouldn't convey my feelings for Luke.

"So, you're trying to make a good impression… win the kid over. Trying to get in his mom's pants, I'm sure," she hisses, crossing her arms over her chest and tapping her foot like she has me pegged.

I laugh and scrub my hand down my face. _If she only knew._ "It's not like that. I'm not trying to buy his affection. We hang out and stuff. I think he already likes me." _Why the fuck am I spilling my guts in the toy store parking lot?_ "I just want to buy him something he'll like. I've never had the chance to buy for a kid on Christmas," I admit, ready to give up.

She must sense my desperation, because her face softens and I think I might detect a teeny tiny smile. So, I go in for the kill.

"I'll pay you double what you just bought it for. That should buy your kid something really nice."

The eyebrow goes up again, but this time, it's in consideration of my offer.

A few seconds passes and she glances back to the basket, before meeting my eyes. "Deal."

I smile in triumph and pull out my wallet.

As me and my, I mean, _Luke's_ Stormtrooper are driving down the highway, headed to the Omni, my phone buzzes again. I glance over and see the message pop up on my screen.

 **Are you seriously going to stand me up?**

 _On my way._

 **I might be gone when you get here.**

 _Bullshit._

Five minutes later, I'm in the elevator on my way to the 19th floor with the biggest grin on my face, because I feel like I won the McDavid account all over again. Who knew bargaining in a parking lot over a Stormtrooper could feel so rewarding?

Knocking on the door, I wait for Bella to open it. She takes her sweet ass time, but I know she's still in there. It might be my imagination, but I think I catch a whiff of her sweet and spicy scent. My mind begins to run wild and my cock stirs to attention. I haven't had much time to think about her and what I'd like to do to her, seeing as I've been a bit preoccupied. But now that I'm standing here in front of this door, knowing she's on the other side, I need her.

Knocking once more, I lean my ear to the door. "Housekeeping," I say in a high-pitched voice. "Want me fluff pillows?"

Bella finally opens the door and smiles, shaking her head, before grabbing me by the shirt and pulling me inside.

"I'll fluff your pillow," she growls before kissing me roughly. Her teeth graze my lip and I love the sting, the intensity. I kiss her back hard and press her against the door.

"What was so fucking important?" she asks with one hand in my hair and one gripping my cock through my pants.

"A Stormtrooper," I tell her, grinding against her.

"Is that code for something?"

I laugh, picking her up and carrying her to the bed. After I devour her mouth, I feast on the rest of her, taking my time and doing everything right… making sure she knows how much I want her and what _my_ Stormtrooper is going to do to her.

* * *

 **This is unbeta'd. Just a fun little chapter we decided to throw in. Geeky is not held responsible for the errors!**

 **MERRRRRRRRY CHRISTMAS!**


	14. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** **We don't own Twilight or any other identifiable entities. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 13**

"You're fidgeting."

"Am not."

"Yes, you are," I tell the beautiful woman standing beside me in the elevator—the beautiful woman who I would like nothing more than to be taking against the wall right now. Since the second she stepped out of her car and I saw the long… long… slit up her sexy leg, I've thought of nothing but running my tongue along that bare milky white skin, directly up to the Promised Land.

"I'm nervous," she admits, watching the numbers on the elevator as they climb.

"About what?" I ask, watching her profile. Her side-swept hair looks so silky and smooth. I want to feel it, touch it... and then make a mess of it.

"You," she says in a flustered tone. "I've never brought a guy to one of these things."

"Never?" I ask incredulously.

"Never."

"Why now?" I ask as the elevator approaches the top floor.

"A few of the nurses were trying to set me up with one of the new residents. To get them off my back, I told them I already had a date. If I came without one, they would still be trying to set me up." She lets out a huff as the elevator doors open. "So, here we are."

My stomach drops a little at her confession. I mean, I didn't let myself get my hopes up that there was any more to this night than what she had said… a favor. I'm scratching her back. But the fact that my being here makes her nervous and uncomfortable goes against everything inside me. The only thing I want to do is make her happy… make her feel good. I want to ease her, not make her break out in hives.

"If my being here is too stressful for you, I can fake an illness or something."

We pass a couple, and Bella greets them. I nod.

"You'd do that?" she asks, and my stomach drops even further.

Stop being fucking Prince Charming, Cullen. Maybe Emmett is right. Maybe I lost my balls. Or maybe I chopped them off the day I agreed to be Bella's fuck buddy, and she now has possession of them.

"Uh, if you wanted me to. Sure."

She stops and yanks my arm, pulling me into a dark corner. "Kiss me."

"What?" I ask, wondering if she's the one who's sick. "I don't want to mess up… this," I say, waving to her gorgeous, put-together form.

Her hands grip the lapel of my tuxedo, and she pulls me to her, our mouths colliding. Her tongue forces its way into my mouth, and I happily oblige, taking her in greedily. I'm careful with the hair, but I press my body to hers, pushing her into the wall. After a minute or two, we slow down. I nip at her bottom lip, and she slides her arms up and around my neck, her lips ghosting over my cheek.

"Thank you for being here."

"You're welcome."

"Let's go mingle," she says, pushing off the wall and looping her arm through mine.

"Okay."

I smile and walk her toward the double doors. The music that could be heard from the hall gets louder, and people are everywhere. Lots of sparkling dresses and men dressed in tails. A waiter walks by, offering us a glass of champagne. Bella and I both gladly accept. If she's feeling anything like me, she needs it. Between Bella's nerves and our impromptu make-out session, I could actually use a shot of whiskey, but this champagne will do for now.

"Bella," a familiar voice says, approaching from behind. My body tenses until I feel Bella's hand on my arm.

"Tina, you look gorgeous," Bella says, leaning forward and placing a kiss on the cheek of the woman I've only seen one other place.

The club.

 _What the fuck is she doing here?"_

"Edward," Bella says. "I believe you know my friend, Tina."

I force a smile and offer my hand. "Yes, nice to see you."

"So good to see you," she says with a raised eyebrow. I watch as her gaze shifts from me to Bella and back. My being here is obviously just as much a shock to her. "Well, I was on my way to the bar. Y'all enjoy yourselves."

"You too," Bella says as she walks off.

I down what's left in my glass as Bella and I turn to watch the crowd.

"I guess I should've mentioned that I work with Tina. She's a nurse in the ER," she says without looking at me. "She's who invited me to the club."

"So Tina daylights as a nurse." I nod and let out a low chuckle. "She looked shocked as shit to see me here."

"Yeah, probably would've been good to mention you to her. Kinda slipped my mind."

"Small world."

"Yeah," she says, laughing. And I'm happy to hear it.

"We should dance."

"Oh, you dance?" she asks, looking over her shoulder at me, and I realize it's going to be damn near painful to keep myself in check tonight.

She offers me her hand, and I take it, following her out onto the dance floor. A slow song comes on, and I pull her close, loving the way she feels pressed up against me. She smells amazing. The sweet and spice I've grown accustomed to is in full force tonight, and I want to drown in it… in her.

After a couple of songs, a man steps up to the microphone and taps it. Bella turns to the stage, and I stand to her side, placing my hand at the small of her back, needing to touch her.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to welcome everyone to this year's Charlie Swan Holiday Gala."

The room erupts in applause, and I follow suit, clapping, but my mind is stuck on the Charlie Swan part.

"As you all know, Dr. Swan was passionate about many things, two of those being this hospital and our Cardiac Program. It was through his foundation that the Cardiac Wing was built, and it's through this gala that it stays open. A hospital requires generous donations from wonderful people like those of you in this room tonight. As chief of staff, I'd like to thank you for your contributions."

The band begins to play again, and Bella and I both take another glass of champagne as a tray passes by. People begin to mingle again. A few stop and say, "Merry Christmas" or "it's good to see you". Bella smiles politely and returns hugs or kisses on the cheek. I stand a step away, giving her space.

The man who was on stage a few minutes ago walks up, telling her how beautiful she looks and how proud her father would be.

With that one statement, he just answered the question swirling in my mind. Charlie Swan is Bella's dad… or was Bella's dad.

"How happy would Charlie be tonight?" he asks, looking around the room.

"He'd be really happy," she says, smiling, but there's a hint of sadness there.

"Have you heard the news?" the man asks.

"I don't think so," Bella says, her eyebrows drawing together. "What news?"

"Dr. Black is coming back to be head of cardio."

I watch Bella's face morph from confused to happy… and then to something else. Scared? Nervous?

"Oh, really? I hadn't heard."

"Well, you know how these things go, but as of tonight, he's slated to be back at Mercy by the new year."

"That's… great," Bella says, smiling up at him, but I can see something else behind that smile. I'm not sure what it is, but it's something.

"Charlie would be really happy about that. Am I right?"

"Definitely."

"Well, I'll let you get back to the party." He kisses her cheek and nods to me as he walks away.

Bella lets out a deep sigh and stiffens a little when I place my hand on her back. "Everything okay?" I ask.

"I think I'm ready to go."

"Sure," I say, taking her empty champagne glass and setting it on another tray as it goes by. "Let's get out of here."

I want to ask so many questions, but instead, I guide her through the crowd, back down the hall and into the elevator. I let the quiet settle between us and instead of walking her to her car, since she insisted on us meeting in the parking lot, I lead her to mine. She doesn't argue nor hesitate. Once we're inside, I start the car up and head to the one place I like to go to when I'm feeling a little stressed.

Besides the Omni.

"In and Out," Bella sighs as we pull into the drive.

"I'm sorry. I guess I should've asked."

"No, this is perfect."

We both order a double-double animal style and fries well done. Bella opts for a root beer float, and I stick with a Coke. I just can't do ice cream with my burger. Besides, there's no way she'll be able to finish all of that, so I'm banking on getting at least half of her float.

After we get our order, we pull up under the street light and start digging in. Bella doesn't fight me over the ketchup like Emmett does, claiming she doesn't like ketchup on her fries because it "hides the delicious potato flavor". I think I like her more than I did five minutes ago. We'll need to go on more In and Out dates.

Ten minutes later, we're both leaned back in our seats, and Bella is sucking up the last drink of her float.

Guess I was wrong.

"So," I say, trying to start a conversation without freaking her out or making her upset.

"I'm sorry," she says, playing with the straw in her cup.

"For what?"

"I should've given you some sort of prep course. I feel like I took you in there blind. And on top of that, I've been a hot mess all night. Sometimes I don't know why you put up with me." She says that last part quietly, looking out the window.

"You've got the hot part right."

She turns and gives me a small smile. After taking a deep breath, she says, "So, Charlie was my dad… is my dad. He died seven years ago."

"I'm sorry."

She nods sadly. "I miss him, especially on nights like tonight."

"How did he die?"

"Heart attack. How crazy is that? World-renowned heart surgeon, and he died of a heart attack."

"That's awful."

"He wouldn't have been able to save himself," she says, looking back out the window. "Jake… uh, Dr. Black… He tried to save him, but it wasn't his fault either."

Things are starting to make more sense. The more I learn about her, unintentional or not, the more the puzzle pieces of Bella Swan start to fall into place.

I want to take her to the hotel and have my way with her, but instead, I drop her off at her car at the hospital. When I walk around and open her door for her, she leans in and kisses me deeply.

"Thank you for tonight and for being so understanding."

"You're welcome."

"I guess I'll see you Sunday," she says, sliding into her SUV.

"Yeah, I'll see you Sunday," I tell her, making sure her and her gorgeous dress are tucked safely inside before I shut her door. Once again, I stand in the parking lot and watch her tail lights as she drives away.

It's only two days, but it'll be two days too long. I miss her the second she's out of sight.

.

.

.

.

"I thought you were going to stand me up," I say, leaning down and kissing her nose and then her cheek.

"I might've taken the scenic route." She laughs. "But I brought wine," she says, holding up the bottle proudly.

"My mom will love you even more than she probably does already. And you wouldn't have taken the scenic route if you would've let me pick you up."

"I like driving myself."

 _It's not a real date if I don't pick you up_. That's what I want to say because I think deep down, that's her rationale. It can't be because she doesn't want Luke to see us together, because we see each other every Sunday. Maybe it's her mom. Regardless of the reasoning or the fact she drove herself, I'm glad she's here.

"Let's get inside."

I walk her up to the porch and open the door for her. My mom is there instantly, wrapping Bella in a hug.

"It's so good to meet you," my mom says. "Edward has told us so much about you." Bella's eyes widen over my mom's shoulder, and I can't help but laugh.

"Bella," my dad says as my mom ushers her into the kitchen,qq where everyone else seems to be congregated. "I'm so glad you came."

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Cullen."

"Call me Carlisle, please."

"Wait a second. Like _the_ Carlisle Cullen?" she asks, her eyes widening again. " _Sex Talk with Dr. Cullen_?"

"The one and only," my dad says proudly.

My mom laughs, swatting my dad with a kitchen towel. "Don't start with that, Bella. His ego can hardly fit through the door as it is."

"Oh, my god," Bella mouths to me, and I see her cheeks flush with pink.

"Hi, Bella," my sister greets. "I'm Alice."

"You're on the show too."

"Every Tuesday and Thursday."

"I… I mean, I don't listen religiously or anything. But uh, some of the nurses are always listening in the…"

"Don't worry about it, Bella," Jasper says, walking over and draping an arm over my sister's shoulders. "Everyone in this kitchen listens to _Sex Talk with Dr. Cullen_. And these two were his guinea pigs," he says, laughing.

"Actually, Esme gave them the initial sex talk. She didn't trust me to stick with the basics," my dad says.

"He would've brought up anal on the first day," Jasper adds, earning an eyeroll from my mother.

"And no one should bring up anal on the first day," Emmett chimes in, reaching over the counter for a meatball.

"Can we not talk about anal in the kitchen?" my mother says in her most chastising voice.

"Anal's definitely a day-two topic."

"Enough with the anal," my mom says loudly.

I look over to see Bella hiding her laugh and a beautiful blush on her cheeks.

"Welcome to the Cullens'," I whisper in her hair, pulling her to me. "Nothing says Merry Christmas like anal talk in the kitchen with your parents." She hides her face in my chest and loses it.

"Bella," I say, trying to change the subject. "This is Jasper, my brother-in-law."

"How do you do?" Jasper says in his deep Texas drawl.

"And this is Rosalie Hale," I say, gesturing to the tall blonde standing beside Emmett.

Rose's well-manicured brow arches as she smiles. "Bella, nice to see you again."

"Wait. You two know each other?" I ask, pulling back to look down at Bella.

The sly, knowing smile on her face tells me they do.

"We met once."

"At the club," Rose adds.

"Oh, at the sex club?" my sister asks excitedly.

Bella's big brown eyes shoot up to me, pleading for help, but I have none to offer.

"They all know about the club. I probably should've mentioned that. Nothing is off limits here at Casa de Cullen." She jabs me in the ribs, but I can't help laughing.

"Jasper and Alice want to go there for their anniversary," Rose says.

"Since Edward and I are pretty much black-listed, Alice will probably be hitting you two up for a connection," Emmett adds.

"Black-listed?"

"Yeah, after Emmett carried Rose out of the club over his shoulder like a fucking caveman, Sam told him never to come back."

Bella laughs again, tilting her head back and exposing her gorgeous neck. I would love to be sucking on it right now if we weren't in a room full of people. "Oh, my god. That's hysterical."

"Hey, it easily could've been Edward," Emmett says, pointing a finger at me.

"But it wasn't. You were always so afraid I was going to get your ass kicked out, and you went and did it yourself."

"Can we not talk about this?" Emmett pleads.

"Oh, but it's so much fun giving you shit," Bella says with a playful smile.

"Oh, I like her already," Alice says.

After dinner and dessert, my dad, Jasper, Emmett, and I pour ourselves a couple of fingers of Christmas cheer, also known as Maker's Mark Black Label. We stand at the bar in my mom and dad's sitting room and watch as the girls laugh themselves silly.

I love seeing Bella like that. I love having her here… with me. I love everything about this night.

As if she feels my eyes on her, she looks my way and smiles… a big, genuine smile… and it lights up the room more than the glow of the fat Christmas tree in the corner.

Whether she knows it or not, she gave me my Christmas wish.

* * *

 **A/Ns:**

 **Jenny Kate:** So much happening in this chapter...and I'm not "tooting our own horn", just stating the facts. ;)

 **Jiff:** Not meaning to sound egotistical but I'd have to agree with that statement.

 **Jenny Kate:** All kidding aside, Edward learned several things about Bella and Bella definitely got a hefty dose of the Cullens.

 **Jiff** : Oh, those Cullens…never a dull moment, that's for sure. LOL

 **Jenny Kate:** Definitely not. LOL. It's fun to see them all interact. And you gotta love a good family convo about anal.

 **Jiff:** I mean, if you can't discuss anal sex with your family during the holidays, when can you?

 **Jenny Kate:** Truth. I'm looking forward to what's in store for our couple in the new year.

 **Jiff:** Things seem to be getting better and better, don't they?

 **Jenny Kate:** Things are also getting better for us. Thanks for hanging in there with us while we battled the plague. Hope everyone's New Year is off to a great, happy, healthy start. (Sending get well vibes to Geeky and Pamela.)

 **Jiff:** Love y'all!


	15. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer:** **We don't own Twilight or any other identifiable entities. No copyright infringement is intended. *this is not Rachel approved***

* * *

 **Chapter 14**

"Ten!"

"Nine!"

"Eight!"

I grab Bella's waist and pull her body against mine. "Pucker up, buttercup. It's almost midnight." That didn't sound nearly as suave out loud as it did in my head, but in my defense, I've had a few beers. And a couple of shots of tequila. Thank goodness Bella is laughing at me and not pushing me away.

"Seven!"

"Six!"

"Five!"

Bella and I originally made plans to meet at the hotel tonight, but when Emmett invited us both to celebrate the New Year at the bar with him and Rosalie, I took a chance and asked her. To my surprise, she agreed, and here we are.

"Four!"

"Three!"

Tightening my grip on her hips, I zero in on Bella's full lips. Her tongue peeks out, wetting her bottom lip and causing my dick to harden. I can't wait to get to the hotel so we can spend the entire night together.

"Two!"

"One!"

It's as if a gun has gone off, signaling the beginning of a race as our mouths collide, making us both winners. All of the cheering, noise-makers, and music fade into the background, and it feels like Bella and I are the only two people in the room… the world. There's something different about this kiss, and I hope with everything in my soul that she feels it, too.

"Let's get out of here," Bella whispers.

Moving faster than I ever have, I drop a few bills on the bar to pay our tab, then grab her hand and head for the door while waving at Emmett, letting him know we're leaving.

The cold air that surrounds us as soon as we're outside is a refreshing change from how it felt in the crowded bar, but I make sure to keep my arm around Bella, holding her close to keep her warm.

"I'll drive," she says as she presses in closer, hiding her face in my jacket from the cold January wind.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I only had a couple of beers. I'm fine. I'll drop you back at your car later."

"Okay." I don't argue because I've definitely had more to drink than she has, and I don't want to waste time or be away from her.

I can't stop touching her, even in the car. I lean over the console and nip at her neck and ear, teasing the soft skin just under her shirt.

"Stop," she whines. "You're driving me crazy."

She drives a little faster, but she makes no effort to push me away, so I know her complaints are empty. She wants me just as much as I want her. I'd take her here if she'd let me. I'd take her anywhere, anytime, any way she'd let me. I don't see that ever changing.

I lick and suck, and her whole body shivers in response. She tastes so good. I don't know how skin can taste so sweet, so perfect. "We could just go to my apartment. It's not far from here," I tell her, my lips against her neck. This time, instead of a shiver, she stills and then shifts away from me, pulling her head back.

"We can't do that."

I sit back in the seat and watch her in the pale glow of the interior lights of her SUV. She keeps her eyes trained on the road, but I can tell by the way she works her lip with her teeth that something's on her mind.

"I don't get what the big deal is."

"It's not part of the agreement."

"I thought that maybe we could get past the agreement. I mean…"

"Can we not do this tonight?" she asks with a level of pleading and need to her voice.

"Okay."

We continue through the next stoplight and pull into the drive of the hotel. Neither of us speaks as we get out of the vehicle and allow the valet to park it. I walk up to the desk and request a room, and after a quick transaction, I take Bella's hand and walk to the elevator.

On the way up, I think about making her talk and refusing to go through with this if she won't tell me what's going on. I want to force her to tell me why we can be seen together in public and attend parties together, but she won't even entertain the thought of coming to my apartment. I want to say something, but I can't.

Maybe I'm weak.

Maybe I want her too bad.

Maybe I'm scared she'll call the whole thing off.

So instead of talking, I hold her hand, rubbing my thumb over hers.

When the elevator stops on the tenth floor, I walk silently down the hall and open the door, leading Bella inside. No words are exchanged as we undress each other. It's not hurried or needy like earlier. It's not hard and desperate like we are sometimes. It's slow and deliberate with our eyes locked on each other. Small moans of pleasure and pleas of want fill the quiet room.

The only light filling the room is from the open window. Bella's creamy skin blends into the white comforter with her dark hair a stark contrast.

"You're so beautiful. I could look at you like this forever," I whisper, running my hand between her breasts and down her stomach, slipping a finger under the small silky piece of fabric. Ridding her of that last stitch of clothing, I lean down and begin to kiss all the skin I've wanted to all night but couldn't, taking my time and telling her how I feel with my actions, hoping they'll suffice for now.

When I make my way to her sweet pussy, spreading her legs, I glance up to see her eyes closed.

"Open your eyes, Bella. Watch what I do to you."

She obeys, slowly opening her eyes, letting me see the emotions she was hiding. Her hands trail across my back. As I lick up her slit, her fingers grip my hair. I push my tongue farther in, tasting her, relishing in being consumed by Bella. Her taste. Her smell. Her touch. It's enough to make me come.

When I add my fingers to the game, Bella begins to writhe under me, her hips seeking what she desires… taking what she needs.

The faster I pump, the more she loses control.

Her hands leave my hair and grab frantically at the blanket beneath her.

Her body begins to tremble.

Her mouth falls open with silent cries of ecstasy.

Her pussy tightens around my fingers, and I want it to be my cock.

Without hesitation, I climb up her body and wrap my arms around her thighs, pulling her to where I need her. As she's still riding out her orgasm, I thrust inside, forcing out a loud cry of pleasure.

Bella's eyes fly open and find mine. The sweat on her brow shines as her look of desire grows. Her gaze goes from my face to where we're joined, and she watches as I thrust in and out.

"Oh, God. So good."

"So fucking good, Bella."

I begin pressing down on her clit, coaxing out another orgasm from her, taking her to the edge and helping her fall.

I love watching her completely lose control and knowing I'm responsible for it. I love watching her like this… vulnerable, exposed… so much different than how she normally is.

As she closes in around me, her thighs squeezing tightly on my torso and her walls pulsing around my cock, I lose control myself. With shaky breaths and weak muscles, I can barely hold myself up.

"Every time," she says breathlessly. "Every time, I think it's the best yet, but then the next time, I'm proven wrong. Somehow, each time is better than the last."

I lean down and kiss her damp forehead. "I agree." I roll lazily off her and sprawl out beside her on the bed, letting the world spin around us.

After I catch my breath, I rid myself of the condom and crawl up beside Bella. Now would probably be a good time to have that talk, but I can't force myself to ruin the moment. Instead, I pull her to me and bury my face in her hair, inhaling deeply and wishing we could stay like this forever.

.

.

.

.

I'm not sure who's more excited for our Sunday afternoon in the park, me or Queenie. Bella and I agreed to skip our usual park date on the Sunday after Christmas, so it's been two weeks since we've all been together. Of course, I'm happy to see Bella again, but I'm really excited to see Luke because I can finally give him the Stormtrooper.

I admit, that toy is pretty damn cool. I had to make myself wrap it so that I'd stop playing with it. I hope the batteries still work when he opens it.

Queenie starts running in small circles, barking excitedly to let me know she spots Bella and Luke. Less than a minute later, Luke is on his knees in front of my dog, petting behind her ears and telling her how much he missed her. When I look up, I watch Bella slowly walk toward our bench with a tight smile on her face.

Something's wrong. I know it, but she just won't open up to me. I hate seeing her struggle. It's in a man's nature to want to fix things and make everything better, but Bella is obviously too stubborn or independent to let me help. It's both admirable and frustrating.

She sits next to me and seems to relax some, especially when she sees how happy Luke and Queenie are.

"They sure are quite the pair, aren't they?"

"They are," I agree. "Hey, I have a gift for Luke. Do you mind if I give it to him?"

Bella looks surprised for a second but then genuinely smiles and says, "Not at all."

"Luke, come here for a minute. I have something for you."

He looks my way, and when he sees the large and horribly wrapped gift in my hands, he rushes over.

"This is for me?" he asks, eyes wide.

"It sure is. I saw it and knew you had to have it. Open it up, buddy."

Thankfully, he doesn't seem to care about how badly I wrapped his present because he wastes no time in ripping the shiny paper to shreds, revealing the Stormtrooper. Not knowing any other kids very well, I had no idea how fun it is to watch one open a gift. I could do this all day. The look of awe and joy on his face makes the extra money I gave that lady at the toy store totally worth it. I would've paid even more just for this moment.

"Mom, look! It's the Stormtrooper I wanted!" He shakes the toy in front of her as if there was a chance she missed seeing it.

"That's awesome, Luke! What do you say to Edward?"

"Thank you, Edward. Thank you so much!" He rushes to me and gives me a quick hug, and fuck, if it doesn't feel amazing. "I'm gonna leave it here while Queenie and I play so it doesn't get dirty."

I watch Luke and Queenie run off with the biggest smile on my face before turning and seeing the same smile on Bella's. It's a genuine smile, and it makes me relax.

"Where did you find that?" she questions. "I looked all over the city and online and couldn't get one."

Not wanting her to know exactly how I was able to purchase the toy, I tell her, "It's all in who you know."

She side-eyes me before thanking me. "You've made his day."

"No, I'm pretty sure he's made mine. I mean, I hoped that he'd like it, but I had no idea he'd react like that. He's such a great kid, Bella."

"He is." Now her smile isn't reaching her eyes, and her shoulders are slumped. I can't take it anymore.

"What's going on?" I ask, exhaling, hating that we have to have this talk, but damn it, I have to know what's wrong. "Please tell me what's bothering you."

Bella leans back against the bench but keeps her eyes trained on where Luke and Queenie are running and playing. "I didn't want to have this talk here, but…"

Her eyebrows furrow, and her teeth bite down on her lip. The struggle is so evident on her face, but I don't know what she's fighting. If she'd tell me, I'd gladly fight it for her… dragons, fire, the grocery store on Sunday. I'd do anything for her, if she'd just let me.

"Remember at the party when Dr. Clearwater mentioned that Dr. Black was coming back?" she asks, rubbing nervous hands down the front of her jeans and leaning forward on her elbows, allowing her head to sag, her hair creating a curtain around her face.

"I remember. He's the guy that tried to save your dad," I recall.

"Yeah, he was my dad's protégé, for lack of a better word. If my dad could've adopted him, he would have." She laughs, but there's not a lot of humor behind it. "I guess he saw himself in Jake and took him under his wing, teaching him everything he knew."

"So, were the two of you close?" I know there's a lot she's not telling me. I can feel it, but I'm not going to let her put her walls up and keep me out this time. "You and Jake?" I clarify.

"Not really. When he first came to Mercy, I was still in school. But after I got hired on in the ER, I got to know him. Like I said, he and my dad were close. He would come over for family dinners and stuff like that. All of his family is up north, so my parents took it upon themselves to make him feel at home and be his family."

"Are you happy he's coming back?" I ask, prodding for more information.

She lets out a deep breath and sits back up, leaning back on the bench and folding her arms tightly around her torso. "It's so complicated."

"What's complicated?"

She growls out in frustration and scrubs her face with her hands. "I don't want to have this conversation."

Leaning forward, I take her hands from her face and force her to look at me. "Just say whatever you need to say. Rip it off like a bandaid." As much as I don't want to hear whatever it is she needs to tell me, I hate seeing her like this. "There's nothing you can say that'll make me feel any differently about you."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that."

"Try me."

She closes her eyes and begins. "After my dad died, Jake was as lost as I was. He was the man we both depended on, and without him here, we were both drifting… trying to find our way… trying to figure out how go on without him. His death left a big hole everywhere—the hospital, home… life. After a few weeks, Jake came over for dinner. My mom insisted that we all continue to do the things my father would've wanted—work, family dinners. She said the way we kept his memory alive was to carry on." Bella pauses, looking out to where Luke is, watching him. Her voice is a little shaky, so I rub the backs of her hands, encouraging her to continue.

"Eventually, things at the hospital started to go back to normal, and Jake and I spent more and more time together. Without my dad there as a middle man, the two of us started leaning on each other. Any time I would miss my dad or wish he was there for me to ask a question or something like that, I'd turn to Jake. Any time Jake was feeling lonely or needed a friend, he'd come find me. We'd sneak down empty corridors to talk, but after a while, the talks turned to more. I can't really say when my feelings toward Jake turned romantic, but I guess somewhere between heartache and healing, they did. We talked about moving in together, but I didn't want to leave my mom by herself. Jake understood and never pressured me into anything." She pauses again and bites down on her lip, closing her eyes. "One day, Jake said he'd been offered a job at a hospital up north—head of cardiac, exactly what my dad had been molding him for. He left two weeks later."

We sit there quietly. Pieces of the puzzle start falling into place, but my heart doesn't allow my head to jump to conclusions. I need to hear it from her.

"I found out I was pregnant with Luke a week after Jake left." She swallows hard and looks down at where our hands are laced together. "I wanted to tell him, but it never seemed like the right time. After a few weeks, he stopped calling. Somewhere deep inside, I felt like I was doing the right thing by letting him go. The hospital needed him. This was what he'd worked so hard for. Telling him about Luke seemed like a bad idea." Her gaze turns back to the little boy, and I can't imagine why she would think telling Jake about Luke would ever be a bad idea. He's such an amazing kid. Anybody would be lucky to be his dad. "If Jake wouldn't have wanted him, it would've killed me. If Jake would've wanted him and left the position to move back here, I would've felt guilty. I was still mourning the loss of my father. I couldn't mourn the loss of Jake. I had a baby to think about."

"What did your mom say?"

"She wanted me to tell him, but she let me do what I thought was best."

I nod, trying to process the information I've been given and wondering what this means for us, but I don't want to ask.

"She's been wonderful. I don't know what I would've done without her. But she says Luke saved her. He gave her something to focus on when all she wanted to do was crawl in bed and never come out. She's always been a devoted mother and now an even more devoted grandmother. She'd do anything for him."

I can tell Bella is avoiding something. She starts shifting on the bench and biting her lip. "What does all of this mean?" I finally ask.

"Jake will be back on Tuesday."

"For good?"

"I guess. He's taking over my dad's position at the hospital."

"And?"

"I'm going to have to tell him about Luke… I _want_ to tell him about Luke."

I nod, agreeing. "That's good. I think you should." I let myself take a breath and ease back a little. Maybe that's all this is. She just needed to get this off her chest.

"But that's not all."

And there it is—the shoe I've felt hanging in the air, waiting to drop since last week.

"All I've ever wanted was a family for Luke… a real family, with a mom and dad, living in the same house. I want what I had… family dinners and game nights. I've always dreamed that Jake would come back, and when he found out about Luke, he'd want all of that too."

When I look up and meet her eyes, there are unshed tears in them.

"I don't want to have regrets. I feel like giving Jake a chance is what's right. It would make my dad happy."

"Will it make you happy?" The bit of anger I'm feeling at the moment bites through my words. "Is that what _you_ want or what you think your dad would want?"

Bella's back stiffens, and she sits up straighter. "It's what I want. It's what's best for Luke. I have to give it a chance."

I turn to look at Luke and Queenie. Luke looks our way and smiles a big toothy grin. He deserves to be happy. He deserves everything Bella was talking about. I'd be a horrible human being if I tried to keep him from that.

"Okay, then."

"He's going to miss this," she says sadly.

"I'm going to miss this."

"Thank you," she whispers, wiping at her cheek. "For everything."

I want to reply, but my words and emotions are caught in my throat.

I want to tell her so many things, but I don't.

I lean forward and place a kiss on Bella's temple, breathing her in one last time.

"Be happy, Bella. Let yourself love."

She hiccups a sob, and I can't stick around to watch it. My resolve will crumble at her feet.

"Queenie," I yell, calling her over. She and her partner-in-crime come running. When they get to the bench, I ruffle Luke's hair and tilt his head up to look at me. "Take care of your mom, okay?"

"Okay," he says.

"Queenie, tell Luke bye."

The two of them kiss on each other, and I want to scoop Luke up into a big hug, but I don't.

"Bye, Bella."

She gives me a sad smile and waves, pulling Luke to her.

This time, it's her watching _me_ leave.

* * *

 **A/Ns:**

 **Jiff:** So, um, hi, yeah, how's everyone doing?

 **Jenny Kate:** I'm just gonna put it all out there… I'm sad. Like, tears in my beer sad. But I don't really like beer. So, it's more like tears in my vodka.

 **Jiff:** We've had this planned from the beginning but I tell ya, we've been dreading this chapter so bad.

 **Jenny Kate:** Like, dreading it so bad it kept us from writing what we knew had to be written. But we finally did it...ripped the bandaid off.

 **Jiff:** We ripped it off and it hurt but we have to move forward, right? The story isn't over, we promise.

 **Jenny Kate:** But for now, if you want to cry in shots of vodka with us, you can. *pours more shots*

 **Jiff:** In happier news, we did our first author signing event yesterday (Saturday) in Dallas!

 **Jenny Kate:** Yes! It was so much fun! We apologize for the delay on this chapter, but this last week, we've been so preoccupied with trying to pull everything together for this event.

 **Jiff:** It's been a crazy week! We need to thank our amazing team who pulled this chapter together and got it all nice and pretty for y'all on a short notice? GeekChic12, Rachel, and Pamela, we couldn't do it without you!

Have a great rest of your weekend!


	16. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer:** **We don't own Twilight or any other identifiable entities. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 15**

"Dude," Emmett says, standing in the doorway of my office. "Are you going to work all night again?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

I stretch back in my chair and stare at the blank blue screen. I'm not actually working on anything at the moment, but he doesn't need to know that.

"You should call it a night, bro. Too much work makes Edward grumpy."

"I'm fine." I yawn and stretch. "I'll probably take a break and go get some coffee or something," I assure him, just wanting him to leave already.

He finally lets out a long sigh and puts his coat on. "Whatever you say. Don't forget we have that meeting with Mr. Jones in the morning. I hope you're not wearing the same thing you are now."

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" I ask, looking down at my shirt. It's not dirty.

"Nothing, other than that was what you were wearing yesterday."

I roll my eyes and pick up a piece of paper to wad up and throw at him, but he ducks out before I can. He's right. I slept here last night. My sister went to my apartment and picked up Queenie for me, letting her run around in her back yard and sleep over. I'm sure she wouldn't mind doing that for me again tonight.

I look out the window at the lit city below, and my eyes travel across the tops of the buildings to one in particular. I try to not go there, even in my mind, but it betrays me. Even when I try to think of everything but her, I still somehow end up thinking of her. Everything reminds me of her… a text message, a random Monday night, a random Tuesday night, having a drink, eating a burger. It feels like there's nothing I can do to escape her memory. But maybe I'm not trying hard enough. Maybe I don't want to.

It's only been three weeks, but they've been the worst three weeks of my life. I don't know how I let myself fall so hard for her. She never promised me anything. We only had an agreement, and that agreement had nothing to do with commitment or love, but by God, I felt both… committed and in love. Maybe I should've told her. That thought crosses my mind about a hundred times a day. What if? What if I would've asked her to stay with me? What if I would've told her how I felt… feel? What if I would've said no? No, Bella. You can't try with Dr. Black. He'll never love you like I do. He'll never love Luke like I do.

I laugh harshly at myself and the stupidity that runs through my mind.

I know I never would've done that. The crazy thing is that I love her so much I'm willing to let her go. I can't begrudge the fact that she wants to give Luke a family. He deserves one. And I can't hold it against Bella for wanting to try to make up for past mistakes. I actually admire her for being willing to be honest and upfront with me, for finally opening up. She could've kept fucking me while seeing if things with Jake worked out. I probably would've never known. But she didn't. And I'm still trying to get over the goodbye.

I'm sure I will, in time.

It's not like she left me at the altar or anything. She didn't cheat on me. She didn't tell me she loved me and then took it back. She didn't tell me I could love her. I did that all on my own. So if there's anyone to blame for this heartache I can't seem to get rid of, it's me.

Just as I'm getting ready to make a call to Alice, my phone rings, and I jump. Every fucking time. My stupid fucking heart must still think there's a chance or some shit, because it never fails that if my phone makes the slightest noise, I jump and look at it like it's going to solve the world's problems or at least ease the pain and emptiness in my chest.

"Hi, Alice," I say, exhaustion evident in my raspy tone.

"Your dog misses you."

I grimace, thankful she can't see me. I know this isn't Queenie's fault, but when I look at her, all I see is Luke, which leads directly to Bella. To me, they are package deal.

"I have to work late," I tell her, lying through my teeth. There is nothing pressing on the desk in front of me. Actually, I'm so caught up, I'm doing the slacker-ass intern's work.

Alice lets out a sad sigh. "Okay," she says, pausing a minute before continuing. "Will you be home tomorrow night? It's Friday."

It's a good thing she told me, because I honestly wasn't sure what day today was.

"Uh, yeah."

"Okay, I'll drop Queenie off around 7:00. Jasper and I have dinner reservations at this new place downtown at 7:30."

"Okay. And thanks for keeping her, Alice."

"You're welcome."

We both sit in silence, neither of us saying goodbye. Maybe she's waiting for me to hang up. Maybe I'm doing the same. Regardless, the phone is quiet, and I stare out the window again, letting my brain drift away.

"You can't keep doing this."

"I know."

"Mom won't let you miss another Sunday dinner."

"I know."

"I love you."

"Love you too, Al."

The phone goes quiet again, but this time it's because Alice hung up. I finally do the same and then loosen my tie. Looking around my office, I realize I am actually tired. Maybe I'll go catch a few hours of sleep on Emmett's couch in his office.

I walk down the dark hallway, stopping by the break room and peeking through everyone's takeout boxes of leftovers. There's one marked "DM" in black marker. I crack the box and take a whiff. When the contents of the box register with my empty stomach, it growls audibly, begging for the beef fajitas inside. I can't remember the last time I had a full meal. I've been living off of Hot Pockets and granola bars.

I pop the box in the microwave. DM won't mind. DM can suck it if he does. I've been doing DM's work for the last fucking week. He owes me this much.

When the microwave shuts off, I pull out the hot fajitas, grab a fork, and go to Emmett's office.

There on the couch is a folded up blanket and a pillow.

He must've brought it from home.

I don't know why, but the gesture hits me right in the gut.

I pull my phone out of my pocket with my free hand and open up my text messages.

 _ **Thanks for the pillow and blanket.**_

 **You're welcome. It was Rose's idea.**

 _ **You told Rose I'm sleeping at the office?**_

 **Stop sleeping at the fucking office and you won't have to worry about it.**

I roll my eyes and pocket my phone, falling onto the plush couch. Damn, I should've gotten one of these instead of the pool table.

* * *

"Have you tried talking to her?" Emmett asks from the other side of the small table at the café down the street from our office.

"No." I take another drink from my coffee and continue to watch the people walk past the large window, trying to avoid Emmett's nosy-ass questions.

"Don't you think it might be a good idea? I mean, you can't continue to mope around all the time. It's not good for you, and it's not good for business. Do you know Mr. Jones told Mr. Wallace that he thinks you're depressed?"

"What?" I ask, snapping my head toward Emmett.

"Yeah, he said his wife is a psychologist or some shit, and you're like a textbook example of someone dealing with depression."

"How the fuck would he know?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because the two of you have been working side by side on this new account for the past two weeks."

"I've been professional."

"And withdrawn. You hardly eat. You barely sleep. And I'm not the only one who notices that you wear the same shirt and tie for days in a row."

"I do my fucking job," I say through gritted teeth, leaning forward on the table. I don't need anyone telling me what's going on in my fucking head. My head is fine. I sit back in my chair and direct my gaze back out the window. "I do my fucking job."

"We all know you do your fucking job, but that's about all you do these days."

"None of the rest of it is anybody else's business."

"It's mine. I'm your best friend, man," Emmett says, his voice increasing in volume. "I'm not going to sit around and watch you be miserable over some chick. I've never seen you like this. You've gotta snap out of it and get a grip. Go on a date. Get laid. But for the love of God, quit with this heartbroken Romeo and Juliet shit."

"Romeo and Juliet die."

"Well, sometimes I think I need to check your pulse."

"Shut the fuck up."

"Make me."

The two of us sit there, stewing in our own annoyance with each other.

"You should talk to her," Emmett finally says after a while. "I think that's what has you so twisted up. You didn't get to tell her how you feel."

"And what then? Huh?"

"She'll know, and you won't have all these fucking regrets."

"And if she's happy?"

"She'll tell you it was nice knowing you, and that's that."

"I'm not going to complicate matters and make things harder for her. You didn't see how upset she was. It'd be a dick move."

"What if she's not happy?" Emmett asks. "What if she realizes the error of her ways and wants you back but she's afraid she's ruined everything?"

"I don't know."

"Does that scare you? Is that what you're afraid of?"

"No."

"And you love her?"

"Yes."

"Still?"

"Yes. Probably more than I did before… all of that absence makes the heart grow fonder shit."

"Well, then you owe it to her and yourself to get your head out of your ass and go talk to her."

"What the fuck ever."

"You know I'm right."

I shake my head, refusing to tell Emmett he's right. He's the last person on Earth who needs his ego stroked.

* * *

Sitting in my car, warming my hands with the somewhat hot coffee I got at the café down the street makes me feel like an undercover cop. You know those movies where the cops sit out front of some criminal's house or place of work, waiting to catch them in the act? Like that. A stake-out.

Actually, it's more like a stalker. I feel like a damn stalker.

Ever since my talk with Emmett a couple of days ago, all I can think about is talking to Bella. I thought about texting her, but I couldn't bring myself to send it. I thought about giving her a call, but I wasn't sure if she'd answer.

So here I am, camped out in front of the hospital like a fucking weirdo. I'm surprised security hasn't come over and told me to leave.

I guess this is public property. I mean, I've seen all types of people come and go since I've been here. Some people are sick. Some people are visiting sick people. Some people are taking care of the sick people. There's actually another lady sitting in her car on the opposite side of the lot. She's been there for a while. From what I can tell, she's reading a book, probably taking a break from whatever she's at the hospital for.

As I'm making up a scenario for the woman reading in her car, I see a black SUV pull into the parking lot that I know to be staff parking. I sit up straighter in my seat and put my coffee in the cup holder.

My heart beats faster as I hold my breath, waiting to see her.

What the fuck am I going to say?

I mean, I've thought about it. A lot. But now that I'm here, nothing I've rehearsed seems good enough.

What if she doesn't want to see me?

What if—

That thought catches in my throat as I see her step out of the driver's side. Her long brown hair is down around her shoulders and looks like it's still damp. The pale blue scrubs she's wearing hug her body. Somehow Bella makes anything look good. I've always thought that. But seeing her this morning, I don't think she's ever looked _this_ good. I watch her as she digs into the back seat and comes out with a large bag. Something falls onto the pavement, and as she bends over to get it, the bag on her shoulder starts to slide. I immediately open the door of my car, ready to run across and help her.

But before I can even step out and cross the street, a man comes to her rescue.

He's tall and has dark hair. He's wearing scrubs that look like hers, but he also has a white coat on over his.

Dr. Black. Jake Black.

I watch as he picks up the contents that fell and puts them into the bag for her, taking the other one from her shoulder and putting it on his. She laughs as something else falls out of the back of the SUV and picks it up, throwing it back inside.

They seem happy.

He puts an arm around her shoulders, and they walk into the hospital like that.

Together.

I try to make my mouth work, to call out after her, but nothing.

I try to make my feet work, to run after her, but they won't budge.

I can't.

I can't mess with her happiness.

So instead, I get back into my car and leave.


	17. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer:** **We don't own Twilight or any other identifiable entities. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 16**

Standing in my bedroom, looking at myself in the mirror, I ask myself the recurring question: what the fuck am I doing?

This time, I must've asked it out loud because I get a groan from Queenie as she watches me from the bed. She still hasn't forgiven me for abandoning her a few weeks ago. She practically lived with Alice and Jasper and gained a good five pounds. No telling what those fuckers fed her. I finally pulled my head out of my ass, as Emmett would say, a week or so ago and realized I couldn't keep sleeping at the office and avoiding everyone, including my dog. She didn't deserve that. I've apologized by taking her to the park as much as possible, but we don't go on Sundays. That's out of the question.

"How do I look, Queenie?" I ask the lazy dog as she rolls over onto her side, giving me the same look she gives me when I ask her what I should eat for dinner. If I had to guess, it's the dog equivalent for I don't give a fuck.

"Yeah, neither do I," I tell her, bending down to rub her ears.

I stand back up and look at myself again. It's not that I'm nervous, and I'm definitely not excited. I guess I'm just indifferent. I want to go and get this over with and get Emmett off my back.

He and Rose fixed me up with one of Rose's co-workers, Jessica. According to Rose, she's pretty and funny. She could be Miss Fucking America, and it wouldn't make a difference. But as long as she doesn't have an annoying laugh or look like Zach Galifianakis, I think I can handle it. And who knows? Maybe this is exactly what I need to get out of my funk.

Or it could be a disaster.

I'm not sure if there are any rules out there on how long you should wait to date after you get your heart trampled. It's been a little over a month since I last talked to Bella and a few weeks since that morning at the hospital when I saw her walking in with the doctor, looking happy and like everything was right in her world. So I guess it's time to move on, or at least try.

That's what I'm doing.

I'm trying.

With Jessica.

I swear, if she's annoying, I'm going to beat the shit out of Emmett.

Actually, maybe _that's_ what I need to get out of my funk.

.

.

.

Waiting outside of the restaurant Jessica picked out, I watch the people coming and going. A group of girls passes by, giggling. A couple walks in, arm in arm. There's a family of four walking down the sidewalk; the little girl is annoying the shit out of her brother. The mom chastises, and the dad threatens to take them both back to the car. I can't help but smile. It reminds me of my family.

Alice is two years older than me. We've always been at the perfect age to get on each other's nerves. But I love her, and I know she loves me. She and Jasper have been really great the past month or so. Outside of incessantly checking up on me, which I'm sure our mother put them up to, they've been really supportive and haven't pushed too much.

"You have got to be Edward," a high-pitched voice says from behind me.

I take a deep breath and hold the smile on my face, trying to put up a good front. I remind myself that it's not this girl's fault that I don't want to be here. Who knows? Maybe she was forced into this stupid date too.

Turning around, I see a petite woman, not much taller than my sister. Her curly light brown hair frames her face and hangs down past her shoulders. Her eyes are blue, and her skin is slightly tanned, like she's recently been to the beach. When she smiles, a dimple peeks out from her cheek. She's not horrible.

"I am. You must be Jessica," I say, offering her my hand.

"I am." The sing-songy reply surprisingly doesn't get on my nerves. I see the hesitancy in her eyes and recognize the reluctant way she looks at the restaurant. "So, wanna get something to eat?" she asks, pointing over her shoulder.

"Sounds great."

I really am hungry, and as we're seated at our table and the aroma of food hits me, I realize I haven't eaten since breakfast.

"I'm probably getting ready to embarrass myself," I admit.

"Why?" she asks, giving me a small smile as she looks around cautiously.

"I haven't eaten since breakfast, so I might order half the menu."

She laughs a little, shaking her head. "Don't let me stop you," she says, motioning to the menu. "I grew up with four brothers. I'm not a stranger to a dinner table throwdown."

I laugh, feeling the mood lighten. "Good to know." I nod my head and continue perusing the selection. I don't feel anything romantic toward Jessica, but it does feel kinda nice to be out, and regardless of what happens, at least I'm going to get a good meal. I've heard nothing but good things about this place since it opened.

"I've heard the pub burger is amazing," Jessica says, looking down at her menu.

"I was just thinking I've heard really good things about the food here."

"Yeah, everyone from work has eaten here, except me."

"Well, now you won't be left out."

"Yeah," Jessica says, picking up her water glass. "Cheers to that."

"Cheers to not being the lame friends."

We both laugh, taking drinks of our water.

After a few minutes, the waiter returns and takes our order. I order an appetizer and the pub burger, and Jessica orders a grilled chicken salad.

"You ordered a grilled chicken salad at a place known for their burgers?" I ask teasingly, or hoping it sounds that way.

"I don't like red meat," she says, scrunching her nose.

"So, you work for McDavid, have four brothers, and don't eat red meat. What else is there to know about you?" I ask. Because I'm trying. And she's nice. And I don't want to be the dick that was rude on a blind date.

"I live around the fashion district in a walk-up. Rose and I have known each other since high school, but we hated each other back then." She laughs, pausing. "I like to do yoga, and I have a cat named Sally," she says, shrugging. "What about you?"

I chuckle, thinking about how completely different we are.

"Well, I work with Emmett. We've known each other since college. I love to do extreme sports." I pause as the waiter sets down our appetizer.

"Extreme sports?" she asks.

"Yeah, like jumping out of planes, mountain biking, parasailing, bungee jumping… You name it, Emmett and I have tried it."

Her face pales. "Are you serious?" she asks with a look of terror.

"Yeah. I love it, actually." I let out a deep breath, thinking of how alive I feel when I'm careening down a hill or watching the ground come into view from thousands of feet in the air.

That's what I need.

Just thinking about it makes me feel less… I don't know… less sad or whatever the fuck I've been feeling. I need to go jump out of an airplane or something.

"I'm terrified of heights," she says, shaking her head. "There's no way I could do anything like that."

I laugh, shrugging my shoulders. "Emmett and I used to meet every weekend for something. Usually rock climbing and mountain biking were our go-tos, but we're always up for something a little more exhilarating." I raise my eyebrows, thinking back to the sex club. Fuck. I haven't thought about that in a while. Looking across the table at the innocent-looking girl staring back at me, I wonder what she'd think about something like that.

Jessica is definitely no Bella.

 _Nobody_ is Bella, except…

The brown hair twisted in a bun is what catches my attention first, walking in the door directly behind Jessica's head of curls. It's walking past us and to a table on the other side of the restaurant.

I'd know that bun anywhere. I've pulled it down forcefully and gently untangled it… I've used it as leverage. _Fuck_. I practically groan out loud but just manage to hold that shit in.

What the fuck is she doing here?

"Edward?" Jessica asks.

"Yeah? What? Sorry. Thought I saw someone," I say, bringing my attention back to her and away from Bella sitting down at a table across the room. Why did she have to come to this restaurant? A hundred damn restaurants in this city and she picks this one.

"I was asking about your family. Any brothers or sisters?"

"Uh, yeah, I have one sister," I say absentmindedly, unable to keep my eyes from drifting over to Bella as she sits at the table. Then I see him. The doctor. My stomach drops, and I want hide or run, somehow make myself disappear. I don't know where to, but I'm not sure if I can sit here. With Jessica. While she's sitting there. With him.

"What's her name?" Jessica asks, pulling my focus back to the table once again.

I look across at her, and she's eyeing me like she knows my head is somewhere else.

"Your sister. What's her name?"

I take a drink of my water and then pop a fried pickle into my mouth. "Alice."

"Are you guys close?"

"Yeah," I say, nodding my head. "We're really close."

"And your parents? Do they live around here?"

Her questions calm me a bit, helping distract me. I try to keep my eyes focused on Jessica and the food. The waiter comes and brings my burger, and my stomach growls, convincing me that I can do this. Maybe Bella won't notice me.

Maybe she will.

Do I want her to?

I chance a glance across the room as I take a large bite of my burger. She's looking at her menu. He's preoccupied on his phone. The motherfucker. He should be looking at her. If I were sitting there, I'd be looking at her.

"How's the burger?" Jessica asks.

"Good," I say after I swallow the bite. "How's the salad?"

She smiles and nods. "Good. Best salad I've had in a while, actually."

"And you probably eat a lot of salads."

"Yeah." She laughs lightly as she takes a dainty bite.

We both settle into a somewhat comfortable silence as we finish our meals, each of us people-watching. Well, Jessica is people-watching. I'm Bella-watching, but I'm trying like hell to be smooth about it.

"I've gotta go to the restroom," Jessica says, standing from her seat. "I'll be right back."

I smile and nod. As soon as she's gone, I'm a little more obvious in my watching. I look intently at the doctor's face, trying to gauge the mood between them. I haven't seen Bella laugh once. I guess she could've cracked a smile while I was trying not to watch, but something about her body language tells me she's not in a great mood. They do seem to be exchanging conversation, and I can't help wondering what it's about.

He leans back.

She leans back.

He leans forward.

She leans forward on her elbows, crossing her ankles under the table.

There's no hand-holding. No touching.

The doctor slides out of his chair and walks toward the direction Jessica just went. To the bathroom, I presume.

Bella must feel someone watching her because she turns her head slightly and scans the restaurant. I should look away, maybe hide behind my hand or something, but I don't. Maybe I want her to see me.

She does.

She scans past me but does a double-take, coming right back. She doesn't seem shocked or surprised, just… sad? Indifferent? No, there's definitely emotion there. I just can't tell exactly what it is. The corners of her lips turn up into a slight smile, and she nods her head to the side as if to say "hello".

We both should look away at this point. The eye contact has lingered too long, but we don't. Not until Jessica walks past and sits across from me.

"Long line," she says, slipping back into her chair.

I glance back to see Bella now watching Jessica. The smile on her face grows a little, but there's still something else there. I want to tell her that this is a blind date and that Jessica means nothing to me, but I can't. The doctor sits back down, and Bella forces herself to look away. And so do I.

After I pay the bill, Jessica and I walk back out onto the sidewalk. She doesn't act awkward, like she's waiting on something more. I'm glad about that. She digs in her purse for her keys, and when she comes up with them, she smiles.

"I had a nice time," she says, nodding her head. "I don't usually do the blind date thing, but this wasn't so bad."

I laugh, scratching the back of my head. "Yeah, blind dates aren't my thing either."

"I can tell."

"At least the food was good," I offer as a consolation prize.

"Definitely. Good food can save a bad date."

I cringe a little, hoping it wasn't too bad. "Sorry," I tell her. "I'm sure Rose forced you into this."

"It wasn't horrible."

"I'm glad."

Jessica is a nice girl. Not my type, but nice. She definitely doesn't deserve to be a rebound screw. Although, my dick and I aren't quite ready for that yet anyway.

"I'll give you a good report," she says, smiling.

"I'd really appreciate that." I shake my head, hoping Rose doesn't grill her on Monday morning.

Jessica's phone rings, and she holds the screen up so I can see it.

 _Rose_

"Damn, she didn't even wait for Monday."

"You do know Rosalie, right?" she asks, arching an eyebrow.

"Yes. Probably a little too well," I admit, laughing.

If nothing else, this date with Jessica kept me from staring at the same four walls and eating a microwaveable meal. And I've laughed, which I haven't done much of in a while. For all of that, I'm grateful.

Just as I'm getting ready to say goodbye, the restaurant door opens, and out walks the doctor. He pauses, holding the door open for Bella.

She stops when she sees Jessica and me standing there.

I see the indecision on her face, her smile faltering, so I save her the best way I know how. I walk away, leading Jessica down the sidewalk toward the parking lot.

* * *

 **A/Ns:**

 **Jenny Kate:** Just want to put this out there: You don't have to read after the line. The Author's Notes are only for those who enjoy reading them and we'll never put anything in them that has to be read. They're not meant to explain the chapter, only for discussion. So, feel free to stop reading when the chapter is over.

 **Jiff:** Absolutely. Our intentions are to have fun with you after the chapter but, if that's not your style, it's all good. We'll see ya in the next chapter!

 **Jenny Kate:** So, this is another sad one. At least Edward is getting out and no longer sleeping on Emmett's couch at the office, but he's still in the funk...and then Bella and the doctor show up… AT THE SAME RESTAURANT. Poor dude can't catch a break.

 **Jiff:** I know many of you instantly cringed when you first saw the name "Jessica" but, she wasn't that bad, was she?

 **Jenny Kate:** And we know, we know...you hate the doctor. We know. LOL. So, let's not even discuss his existence.

 **Jiff:** Well, crap, what will we discuss then?

 **Jenny Kate:** Ummmmm… *taps fingers on desk* Hmmmmm… *looks around* Robert Pattinson? He's always a good go-to topic.

 **Jiff:** Those new Dior pics are KILLING me! What the hell, Robert?! That's some nerve you got there.

 **Jenny Kate:** Bastard. He's like a lethal weapon… to my panties. #PantyDestroyer And he makes me cuss. A lot.

 **Jiff** : Damn straight, he does. He had the nerve to cause unfamiliar sounds to leave my mouth yesterday while I was in front of my children. #RUDE

 **Jenny Kate:** He should come with a warning label. Common Side Effects: dizziness, fainting, heart palpitations, increased body fluids (EW. LOL), instantaneous combustion… basically, you lose control of all bodily functions and should not be held responsible for outbursts or extended visits to "the closet".

 **Jiff:** I'm beginning to see why some people might not like these A/Ns… LOL

 **Jenny Kate:** *snorts* Maybe we should wrap this up?

 **Jiff** : Yeah, sure. Big thanks to Team Jiffy Kate! Geekchic12, our beta, and Rachel (J Ray Fanfic) and Pamela, our pre-readers, we love you!


	18. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer:** **We don't own Twilight or any other identifiable entities. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 17**

"Skydiving. This Sunday. You and Me," I tell Emmett as I walk into his office.

"I can't." He doesn't even look up, just continues typing away on his keyboard.

"Why? Are you busy?"

"Yeah, I've got this… thing."

"With Rose?"

"No, just a thing."

"Sundays used to be _our_ thing."

Emmett finally looks up at me from his computer and roughly scrubs at his face with his hands.

"Sorry," I mutter, realizing I sound like a bitter ex-girlfriend. "It's just, I already paid for the jumps. I really need a good rush. Any chance you can reschedule your… thing?"

"Fuck," he says roughly, looking out the large window by his desk. "I can't go because I promised Rose no more extreme sports that involve harnesses."

"What?" I ask like he just told me he has three heads or descended from aliens.

"Yeah, after the bungee jumping incident last week, she freaked out and was crying and shit, making me promise I won't do anything that requires a harness."

"What about rock climbing?" I ask, unable to wrap my brain around what he's telling me. This is not the Emmett I know. The Emmett I know would tell a chick to go to hell if she even tried to tell him what to order on his pizza. What the fuck is going on around here?

"She said rock climbing was okay, as long as it's indoors."

I plop down in the chair across from him and rake my hands through my hair.

"And before you start harping on me about being pussy-whipped, just don't, okay?"

The sharp edge to his voice tells me I shouldn't fuck with him. He's obviously just as distraught by this information as I am.

"Dude," I say, because nothing else good is coming to mind right now.

"I know."

We both sit there, staring out the window.

"You loved Bella, right?" he asks after we've been sitting there for a few minutes.

"Yeah," I answer, feeling the pinch in my chest when he refers to my feelings for Bella in the past tense.

"You probably would've done anything for her, right?"

"Yeah." I would've. I still would. But I don't admit to that because it'd probably make me sound pathetic. Which I am. Which is also why I need to go skydiving. I need a distraction, anything to take my mind off of how pathetic I am.

"Well, I'll do anything for Rose, even holding up my end of the deal to not do any extreme sports with a harness… as fucking stupid as that sounds and as much as it goes against how I normally am," he admits, exhaling.

"Even though it's a stupid fucking deal?"

"Yeah," he says with a nod. "Rose is it for me."

I look over at Emmett and simultaneously want to punch him in his fucking nose and slap him on his back in congratulations. The emotions running through me are all over the board. I hate him. I'm happy for him. I wish I had what he has. I hate that I wish that. I hate that Bella and I are over. I hate that I'm slowly forgetting how she smelled and the exact shade of brown in her eyes. I hate that it's been sixty-four days since we last talked. I hate that I know that.

"I get it," I finally say, standing from the chair. "I guess I'll just do two jumps. More for me." I try to force a smile and act like I'm not upset. I know it doesn't work. Emmett always sees right through my bullshit.

"Let's go mountain biking," he suggests. "Or fuck, just hang out at the bar or something."

"Nah. I need this."

"All right." He sits back in his chair and eyes me closely. "Don't do anything crazy, okay?"

"Who, me?" I ask, smiling, and this time it's real, because he knows me better than to put that kind of stipulation on me.

"Whatever," he says, laughing. "Have fun. Don't die."

I laugh again, knowing deep down, he wishes he was going with me.

"I'll tell you how great it was when I get back."

"Next thing you know you'll be the one telling me about all the different pussy you're having. What the fuck is happening to us?"

I stop at the door and stare at him.

Maybe I need to get laid. I haven't been with anyone since Bella, but that's the natural progression, right?

"I don't know, dude." I shake my head and leave before he has a chance to ask me about my sex life. I'm sure he will at some point, but not today. I can't think about that today.

.

.

.

"Thanks, Frank," I say, shaking the old man's hand. "It was fun." I finish taking the harness off and hang it on the hooks inside the hangar. Today was a great day for jumping out of a perfectly good airplane. The lingering adrenaline still has me flying high.

"Don't be a stranger, Eddie. Bring that big oaf with you next time."

I laugh, scratching my jaw. "Afraid I'll be flying solo from here on out."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, seems as though the big oaf has gone and fallen in love, and the little miss isn't so keen on him jumping out of airplanes." I smile to myself, knowing Rose would kick my ass for the "little miss" comment and not giving two shits. She's on my bad list.

"Well, well, well. You don't say?" The old man shakes his head. "I was sure that one would be a bachelor for life. He reminded me a lot of myself in my younger years."

"I kinda thought that myself, Frank," I admit, though happy that Emmett found somebody all the same.

"What about you?" Frank asks, giving me a sideways glance.

"No," I say, shaking my head. "I'll probably be the one who's a perpetual bachelor."

"Nah." Frank shakes his head. "Some pretty girl will come along one of these days…"

I just smile.

She came along, all right.

And then she left.

.

.

.

Jimmy sets another shot glass filled with tequila down in front of me. No lime. I don't need any fucking limes. Or chasers. Real men just need tequila.

And it'd be nice if these fucking Cowboys could win a fucking game.

About damn time we get a new quarterback. Or a whole fucking new team.

"Might wanna slow your roll," Emmett says, leaning back against the bar beside me.

"Why?" I ask, taking the shot glass and tipping it up, appreciating the slight burn it still has as it goes down, even after six shots… or was that seven?

Emmett shakes his head and focuses on the large television across from us.

"Fucking ref! That was obviously pass interference. Can we not get one damned thing to go our way?" Emmett slams his beer down on the bar and crosses his arms over his chest. "Stupid fucking Cowboys."

"We need to switch teams."

Emmett laughs. "You'd only say that when you're drunk."

"I'm not drunk."

"Okay, tell me that again tomorrow morning when we meet with Mr. Jones."

"I'll be fine."

"Hey, Jimmy," a tall brunette says as she walks up to the bar. "How about three martinis for me and my friends?" She points over at a table where two women are sitting and waving. At me. Or maybe at Jimmy. Fuck if I know.

"How are you, handsome?" she asks, leaning against the bar on the other side of me.

I look at Emmett and then back at her. "Who, me?"

She smiles like I'm joking. "Yes, you." Her hand touches my chest and smooths down the front of my shirt. The tie I was wearing today is hanging loose, and the top few buttons are undone. Normally, I go home and change before coming to the bar on Monday nights, but I didn't feel like it tonight. I needed a drink more than I needed to change clothes.

"My friends and I have been watching you," she admits. "Seems as though you might need a distraction, what with all those shots you've been taking. Something on your mind, sugar?"

I look down as her long red fingernails trace a pattern on my shirt. Why the fuck is she doing that?

"Long day," I tell her, looking up to meet her blue eyes, but they're not real. No one has eyes the color of my computer screen. They look just like that. Microsoft blue, I decide.

"Care to join us?" she asks, leaning in farther until her mouth is only a few inches from mine.

"I—"

A big play causes the entire bar to erupt and draws my focus to the television.

As I'm turning my head to look at the woman who is now halfway sitting on my lap, I see her.

Not her. The brunette.

Well, she's brunette, but she's _my_ brunette.

Or was mine.

Not mine.

But I wanted her to be.

"Bella," I say before she's close enough to hear me.

When Bella notices the woman on my right, she starts to turn around, but I push the intruder off me. "Bella," I say louder, making her turn back around.

Her eyes meet mine and then go to the woman and then back to me. "I shouldn't have come here," she says, fidgeting with the cuff of her jacket.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, unable to filter my words or put much thought into what comes out before it does.

"I just…" She pauses and looks over her shoulder at the television and the loud fuckers yelling at it. "I knew you'd be here," she says, stepping closer so I can hear her over the noise. "Can we talk?"

I nod, but I don't know if that's my mind or my heart talking. Part of me says "fuck yes, we can talk" and the other part is saying "fuck no, go away". I don't know what part is what or what part I want to listen to, but I follow her to the door. When I'm halfway out the bar, I look back to see Emmett watching me with a smirk on his face. What the fuck is that? Fucking Emmett, always such a cocky bastard.

I'm still cursing Emmett in my mind when the cold air hits me, and I realize it's just me and Bella on the sidewalk outside of the bar.

"What are you doing here?" I ask again, because I can't remember if I already asked her that.

She lets out a loud sigh. "Fuck," she groans. "I don't know what I'm doing here."

I rub my head, trying to think clearly, but it's hard. I've wanted to talk to her ever since the last time we spoke, and now, here she is, and I can't seem to force myself to say the words.

What did I want to say?

What should I say?

Is she in love with Jake? Are they happy? Did she get what she wanted? How's Luke?

But instead, I tell her, "I don't know why you're here either." Why? Why did I say that?

Her big brown eyes come up to meet mine, and I see it—hurt, sadness, regret. It's like I'm looking at myself in the mirror, and for some reason, it pisses me off.

"I just wanted to see you… to see how you're doing."

"Well." I laugh hoarsely, spreading my arms wide. "Here I am." I feel the sarcasm and anger building up, and I don't know where it's coming from, but I can't stop it.

She smiles, but it doesn't meet her eyes. It's tight and forced.

"I know I hurt you. And I'm sorry."

Her apology is sincere. I can tell by the way she looks directly into my eyes, and her jaw is set tight like she's on a mission and determined to say whatever she came here to say.

"I just want you to know that I thought I was doing the right thing, and I'm sorry you got hurt in the process. I never meant for that to happen. I never meant for any of it to happen."

"What you mean to say is that you never meant for me to happen."

"You're right," she says, letting her shoulders fall a little. "I didn't, but sometimes life is unexpected, and it throws things at us we never saw coming."

"You don't have anything to apologize for. It's my fault. You didn't promise me anything. I'm the one who let my heart get involved, but don't worry," I tell her. "It's uninvolved now." In my semi-drunken state, that's the best I can do. And it's a lie, but she doesn't have to know that.

Her eyes fall as she kicks her shoe on the concrete and we stand there in silence.

 _Why couldn't you have come here when I was sober?_

"I'm sorry. I should've realized you'd be hanging out with Emmett. This was just the only place I knew I could find you."

"What?"

"It's not like I came here expecting you to be… not sober," she says, somewhat defensively.

"Did I say that out loud?"

Bella groans and rubs at her forehead. "This was a mistake."

"I fell in love with you, you know?" I ask, the bitter laugh showing back up as I lean over and brace myself on my knees, wondering if this is some weird hallucination but deciding just in case it's not, I want to tell her. I stand up straight and look directly into her eyes. "I loved you… even though you tried to keep me from it. I loved you anyway. And Luke..." I shake my head. "I didn't even think I wanted kids before I met him." I swallow hard to keep my emotions in check but force myself to continue.

"The shitty thing is, I love that kid so much that I want what's best for him, and unfortunately, that's not me. As much as I'd love to be what's best, I know he needs his father. I can't even be mad at you, Bella, because you're being a great mom. It just fucking sucks that my heart has to break in the process."

When I look back up at her, there are tears streaming down her face, and for some sadistic reason, it makes me happy… happy because maybe I want her to hurt as bad as she hurt me.

And sad, because I'd gladly take a bullet for her. So the last thing I want is for her to cry.

The mixed emotions are tearing at my insides and making me want to scream.

"Edward, you don't understand. Jake and I, we're no—"

"Forget it, Bella! I don't want to hear about you and Jake, okay?"

I'm pissed.

I'm pissed she came here tonight. I was starting to forget, not everything, but some things. And now she shows up, and her sweet and spicy scent is all I can smell, and I'm reminded that her eyes are this weird combination of gold and amber and brown and that they kind of glisten in the moonlight.

Unable to stand another goodbye, I turn and walk back into the bar, hoping like hell she doesn't follow me.

And hoping that she does.

But she doesn't.

Later, as Emmett drives me to my apartment, I lean back against the seat and watch the buildings as we pass by. Emmett hasn't said much since I walked back into the bar. He must've decided that if I wanted to talk, I would.

His loud exhale clues me in to his struggle with keeping his big trap shut.

"I know it's just killing you not to ask," I tell him, rolling my head to the other side to look at him. "So, go ahead. Let's get this over with."

"If you don't want to talk about it, it's fine."

"Bullshit. It's never fine." I sink farther down in my seat, wishing I hadn't had those last two shots, but fuck me if tonight didn't turn into a shit-storm. "It's not fine," I murmur, meaning it in more ways than one.

It's not fine.

I'm not fine.

Bella's not fine.

Nothing is fucking fine.

Unless fine means fucked up, then yeah, everything is fucking fine.

"What'd she say?" he finally asks.

"I guess she came to apologize."

"Did you at least get to tell her how you feel?"

I snort and roll my eyes, causing my head to hurt. Fucking tequila. "Yeah, I told her."

"And?"

"She mentioned Jake, and I lost it. I just couldn't stand there while she talked about the two of them together. It felt like someone was twisting a knife in my chest."

After a few minutes of driving in silence, Emmett sighs. "Well, at least you told her."

"Yeah."

I lean my head against the cool glass and close my eyes, but all I see is Bella's tear-streaked face.

.

.

.

"Look at you, leaving at normal-people time," Emmett chides as we walk toward the elevator.

After my confrontation with Bella last week, I felt like he and Rose had me on some kind of suicide watch or something. But the truth is, I've felt better this week. My chest still hurts when I think about her. I still wish things were different. But I don't feel like sleeping at the office or eating week-old food out of the breakroom refrigerator.

I also refuse to go on any more blind dates. I didn't have trouble finding myself dates before Bella, and when I'm ready, whenever that time comes, I'll find my own fucking dates again.

"Wanna get a beer later?" Emmett asks, pushing "B" for the basement parking garage.

"Rose lets you do that sort of thing?" I tease, knowing it'll get a rise out of him.

"I do what I fucking want." He adjusts his tie and stands up straighter.

I try to hold back the laugh, but I can't.

When his phone buzzes in his pocket, he can't pull it out fast enough. I watch as he reads a text message and then sets his briefcase on the floor of the elevator so he can reply quickly.

"Rose?" I ask, keeping my head forward and walking out of the elevator when the doors open.

"Yeah. I've gotta pick up _kale_ on my way home." He sounds disgusted and maybe confused.

Emmett does not eat green stuff.

"Kale is kinda like lettuce. You'll find it in the produce section." I'm kind of teasing, but also helping a brother out, just in case he doesn't know. "But you do what you want." I hide the laugh this time but not the grin. I can't.

"Shut the fuck up."

"After you pick up your kale, call me, and we'll grab a beer."

"I hate you."

"Enjoy your kale," I call out over my shoulder as we go our separate ways.

"Fuck you," he calls back.

We could do this all day. We're like twelve-year-olds with jobs.

When I reach for the handle on my car door, my pocket buzzes, and I'm pretty certain it's Emmett. Always needing one last "fuck you." If my feelings for Bella weren't so raw still, he'd probably even tease me about how he's getting pussy and I'm not, because that makes everything better… even kale.

I pull my phone out of my pocket as I start my car. Trying to think of a good comeback, I open the text message, but it's not from Emmett.

 **EMERGENCY**

* * *

 **A/Ns:**

 **Jiff:** Emergency?! What? Should he respond? _How_ should he respond? I have no doubt we'll get a wide variety of answers! LOL

 **Jenny Kate:** I bet half of you are like "GO! RUN!" and the other half of you are like "No." LOL.

 **Jiff:** Seriously, we never know what to expect in the reviews because there are such varying opinions. It keeps things exciting!

 **Jenny Kate:** You can say that again. We laugh after every chapter, because one of you will want to kill Bella, while the next person totally gets why she's doing what she's doing. Regardless, we love your reactions.

 **Jiff** : Absolutely! You're a fun bunch of readers and we appreciate each and every one of you!

 **Jenny Kate:** For any of you who are pissed off for one reason or another (*achem* Rachel), we'll be offering shots of tequila for this chapter.

 **Jiff:** I think tequila is appropriate for every chapter, no matter what. Also, we know some of you are struggling with waiting for the updates so we're writing and posting as quickly as we can. Remember, we don't like hurting our characters just like you don't enjoy reading about it but it has to happen at some point. We suffer along with you!

 **Jenny Kate:** *throws back a shot* Let's thank our team before I'm tipsy… actually, it'd probably be more fun to wait. ;) It's been awhile since we've done tipsy A/Ns. We might have to fix that soon.

 **Jiff:** Yesssss! I love tipsy A/Ns almost as much as I love tipsy review replies!

 **Jenny Kate:** Maybe we'll do both next chapter or at least before this story is finished. Maybe the readers could join in? We could turn the chapter into a drinking game… maybe post the rules on our Facebook page.

 **Jiff** : You're a genius, JK! We'll have to make sure Team Jiffy Kate is there, too. GeekChic12, our beta, and Rachel (J Ray FanFic) and Pamela, our pre-readers, we love you even more than we love tequila!

Have a great weekend! See y'all next week!


	19. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer:** **We don't own Twilight or any other identifiable entities. No copyright** **infringement is intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 18 - BPOV**

"Hey, Ange, I'm gonna go take a nap. Text me if you need me."

"No problem, Bella."

I quickly make my way down the hall and enter the on-call room, hoping to find it empty. It's pretty quiet right now in the ER, and I know Angie, the nurse practitioner, has things under control, so I should be able to get a somewhat decent nap. Of course, that can all change in a matter of seconds, but I'm so tired I have to try at least. It's been a madhouse here lately, like a series-of-full-moons kind of week. Most of us haven't had more than five or six hours off at a time. There was another nurse practitioner, but she took a transfer to a different hospital, and last week, two of our nurses were fired.

Sleep is a hot commodity right now. One that I'm willing to pay big bucks for, if need be.

As I push open the door to the sleeping area, I'm relieved to find it empty. It's more of a closet than a room, but it's dark and quiet, and the bunk beds are pretty comfy. Now, I just have to see if my mind will relax long enough for me to sleep.

Every time I close my eyes lately, all I see is Edward's face. Not the gorgeous face I'd grown accustomed to seeing a few times a week… lustful eyes, a mouth that was equal parts fun-loving smile and cocky-bastard smirk, and a jaw you could cut glass with… but the face he wore when he told me I broke his heart… the look on his face as he put it all out there. He was so vulnerable, something I'd only caught a glimpse of that day in the park when I told him about Jake.

I can't get either of those images out of my brain, and I don't want to, because I know I deserve it. He did nothing wrong; this is all on me. I wish I could take it away somehow.

I didn't have to hear Edward say he loved me. I already knew it. I could tell by the way he looked at me and touched me. I could tell by the way he treated Luke. I knew. I think I was in denial, still with my walls up, but I knew.

I hate that I hurt him. I never meant to. I never meant for him to have feelings for me. I never meant to have feelings for him. But life is funny that way. Seems as though it gives you things when you least expect them.

Breaking things off with Edward was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but I did what I thought I had to do. For me, but mostly for Luke. The truth of the matter is that I'd sacrifice everything to give my son what he needs, even my own happiness.

Of course, I can't deny how foolish I was. I've done a lot of foolish things lately. My number one was assuming Jake and I would pick up where we left off almost seven years ago. That was very naïve. I wasn't in love with him back then, and I'm not in love with him now, but I've always held on to the hope of _maybe_.

Maybe he'll come back.

Maybe he'll be excited about being a dad.

Maybe we'll fall in love.

Maybe I'll finally have the family my father wanted me to have instead of spending all of my time at the hospital like he did.

I know my dad was proud of the accomplishments I'd achieved before he died, but I also know he had regrets about missing so much of my upbringing because he was always working long hours. Like all parents, he wanted better for his kid. He wanted me to find a healthy balance between work and family, something he never did.

My dad also loved Jake. He was the son Charlie never had, and to my young, people-pleasing self back then, I assumed that meant he wanted Jake and me to be together. When my dad died, Jake and I just fell into place, leaning on each other, and I thought it was meant to be, that Charlie was somehow orchestrating it all, but I was wrong. Jake left, and I ended up pregnant.

Should I have told Jake about Luke? Of course.

Was I scared shitless when I finally did tell him? Absolutely.

I roll over onto my side and away from the wall as memories of that night flood my mind.

It was a night full of surprises.

For all of us.

I invited Jake over for dinner, using the excuse of celebrating his return, and he happily accepted. My mom and Luke went to the movies, giving me privacy to tell Jake that he's a father. Luke, of course, had no idea anything out of the ordinary was going on, and I made sure he and my mom were gone long before Jake showed up. Luke has only asked about his dad a couple of times, and both times, I was as truthful as I could be. He knows his dad is a doctor and that he lives far away. He also knows that his dad loves him, because no matter how Jake felt about me, I knew deep in my bones that he would love Luke… or maybe I had just hoped.

I'm not a complete idiot. Jake and I have enough mutual friends and colleagues that I would've heard if he was married or had a family of his own. I also had no plans of making Luke and me a package deal. I just wanted him to know the truth and then to see if sparks flew naturally between us, and I couldn't, in good conscience, do that while leaving Edward hanging on the side.

As much as I tried to not fall for Edward, I did. Had Jake not come back, who knows what might've happened between us—Edward and me, that is. Because news flash: there were zero sparks between Jake and me.

After catching up a bit over dinner, Jake and I settled onto the couch with a bottle of wine. I needed some liquid courage in the worst way. He could tell I was nervous about something and encouraged me to open up to him.

So I did.

I told him everything.

I told him how I found out I was pregnant a week after he moved away. I told him I tried to call him many times but usually chickened out and hung up. I admitted to not wanting him to think I was "trapping" him and that I also didn't want to hold him back in his career.

I apologized profusely for keeping Luke from him, and then I sat back and waited for his response, not really knowing what he would say but expecting the worst.

After a few minutes of silence, and with a dazed and confused kind of look on his face, he asked to see a picture of Luke. I watched as he scanned the picture, obviously noticing the resemblance, because it's damn hard to miss. Jake could try to deny that Luke is his, but the darker skin and dimples did not come from me. As he continued to look at the picture, he started asking questions about him. I was thrilled to answer every question he threw at me, and I ended up showing him just about every picture ever taken of Luke.

Jake showed more maturity and forgiveness and acceptance than I could've ever imagined. He was understandably hurt and pissed that I'd kept Luke from him all these years, but he said he understood… or that he was trying to, at least. He also admitted it was probably best if he wasn't introduced to Luke that night because he needed to go home and absorb everything, which made me feel nothing but relief. I didn't want to rush anything with their introduction and was hoping for a little time to talk to Luke by myself first.

When I walked him to the door, with a picture of Luke in hand, he stopped at the first step and said there was something he needed to tell me too.

Turns out, Jake is gay.

He and Sam have been together for five years. Sam is actually the reason Jake took the cardiac position at Mercy. He's an IT guy and was recently offered a job at a large oil and gas company in Dallas.

Jake went on to tell me that they would love to have children of their own someday and have talked about adoption. Having Luke in their lives would be like an answered prayer, he said, and I couldn't help but smile. Naturally, he wanted to tell Sam about Luke before they all met, and I told him I was more than fine with that.

Since then, we've been hanging out a few times a week. Sometimes it's just the two of us; other times, Luke is with us. Sam has even joined us for dinner a couple of times, and it's been great seeing Jake truly happy. I had no idea how difficult he had it when I knew him before, and I'm thankful he doesn't have to hide anymore.

 _Luke_.

I smile as I think about my sweet boy.

" _Mom, why is Jake coming over again? I want Edward to come over instead. He's never even been here. He can bring Queenie, and she can play with me in my room. I'll pick my Legos up so she doesn't eat them. I promise."_

 _It hurts to disappoint him, especially when he gives me that pouty face that normally would make me giggle, but I have to stand firm. The truth is, I'd much rather have Edward over than Jake, but tonight's the night we tell Luke that he's Jake's son, and I can't be distracted by my other mistakes. I have to try to fix this one first._

" _Sweetie, Edward and Queenie can't come over. We have plans with Jake. Besides, we've already promised Jake we'd watch_ Return of the Jedi _with him tonight."_

 _My son rolls his eyes and makes a "tsk" sound. "I can't believe he hasn't watched all the_ Star Wars _movies, Mom. I mean, where'd you find this guy? He's not as cool as Edward."_

 _My heart sinks at the sound of Edward's name. Again. To be honest, it's been hard watching the_ Star Wars _movies since ending things with Edward simply because of that damn Stormtrooper toy he gave Luke. On more than one occasion, I've caught myself looking at it and thinking about what he must've gone through to get it for Luke, making me smile like a damn loon. The smile soon fades as realization sinks in, and I force myself to get a grip._

Stupid fucking Stormtrooper.

Stupid fucking _me_.

" _Is Jake your new boyfriend?" Luke's question catches me off guard, but it's an easy one to answer._

" _No, Luke. He's not. But he's very important to our family. I hope you'll give him a chance. He really is a good guy."_

" _Okay, Mom. I'll try. I still wish Edward was your boyfriend, though."_

 _Without a reply, I kiss Luke on the top of his head before heading back to the kitchen. What would I say anyway? Edward was never my boyfriend to begin with, and I doubt he wants anything to do with me now. I've made a complete mess of my life yet again, but I have to put Luke's needs before mine._

Jake and I told Luke the truth later that night, and he took it well. It was almost as if he suspected it all along. The serious moment quickly lightened as soon as Luke exclaimed, "So, that's where I get my dimples from!"

As I tucked him into bed after Jake went home, Luke asked again if Jake was my boyfriend.

" _Now will Jake be your boyfriend?"_

" _No, baby. Jake will never be my boyfriend, but he will_ always _be your dad," I assure him._

" _But don't you want a boyfriend?"_

 _My heart melts at the concerned look on his face. "Maybe one of these days, but right now, I have my hands full with you." I give his belly a tickle before kissing him good night and closing his door behind me._

 _Once I'm in bed, I plug my phone into its charger, sadness sinking in again as my screen lights up with only my screen saver, no "emergency" texts from Edward._

I must have dreamed of Edward while I napped because I wake up with the usual throb between my legs. No man has ever made me feel the way he did—in the bedroom or out—and I long to be with him again, to feel the weight of his body pressed against mine and watch his face as he enters me. Sometimes, after a dream like that, the ache between my legs mirrors the ache I feel in my chest. I miss him.

Squeezing my thighs together to relieve the pressure, I try to think of something other than Edward. I refuse to rub one out while I'm at work. I have to get my body under control before I start seeing patients. As I stretch and roll over on the bed, the sound of a woman's anguished voice filters through the wall, officially breaking me from my Edward-spell. She sounds panicked and distraught. I quickly gather myself and run down the hall to see if I can help.

Before I get around the corner, recognition floods my brain at not only the sound of the woman's voice but other voices as well.

 _Holy shit, the Cullens are here._

 _In my ER._

I peek into the lobby and see Alice hugging Jasper before my gaze falls onto Edward. He's heartbreakingly beautiful as he holds his weeping mother while also listening to… Jake.

 _Oh, no. Carlisle!_

He's the only one missing from the group, and seeing Jake standing there, in doctor mode... It can only mean one thing.

Knowing there's nothing for me to do here, medically, I allow myself to watch Edward a little longer. Seeing him both hurts and heals my heart, and I know I need to leave before I get caught. As I start to back away, Esme leaves Edward's arms and hugs Jake. I'm fascinated by the way Edward's jaw clenches at that moment, but I force myself to keep retreating until I realize that Esme is now watching me. My eyes widen, and hers soften, causing me to turn around and run back into the staff lounge.

 _Coward. I am a coward._

I hole up and avoid the hallways as long as possible, but eventually, I'm forced out of hiding. If I want to eat, I have to do it now, or it could be another eight hours before I get the chance. I step out of the room and check both ways before walking quickly toward the cafeteria, head down, avoiding anyone I pass.

"Bella!" Esme's voice startles me as I turn the corner, but I half expected it. I look up and smile because regardless of anything that's happened, I'm happy to see her, and due to her interaction with Jake, I'm guessing Carlisle is fine... or will be, which makes me relieved and happy. "I'm so happy I ran into you," she says as she pulls me into a bone-crushing hug.

"It's good to see you too, Esme. How's Carlisle?"

"Oh, he's fine." She waves her hand like she's swatting a bug away. "The man thought he was having a heart attack. Scared us all to death, I swear! Turns out, it was just gas."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"You heard me," she says, quirking an eyebrow and shaking her head. "After he was finally in a room, hooked up to every machine possible, he ripped the loudest fart known to man. I'm surprised the hospital is still standing." Annoyance and amusement are shown equally on her face, but I also recognize the pure love and relief she feels. I can't help but wonder how Edward is feeling and whether or not he's still here.

As if she can read my mind, Esme tells me, "Edward is still with him in the ER, you know. I'm sure he'd love to see you."

"I'm pretty sure he wouldn't." I shake my head adamantly. "I don't know if he's told you anything about us, but we stopped seeing each other a couple of months ago."

"He told me, but that doesn't mean anything. I see his face when he hears your name, and I saw _you_ when you were watching him in the lobby. You both need to get your heads out of your asses and talk to each other."

 _Don't hold back, Esme._

"I've tried to talk to him... it was a disaster," I tell her, sighing. "He wouldn't listen." My heart clenches at the memory of our interaction at the bar a week ago.

"Well, you're just gonna have to make him listen." The way she looks at me, like she's conspiring with secret forces, causes me to take a step back.

"I have the perfect plan." She claps her hands before grabbing my arm and pulling me to a nearby bench.

"I don't know," I say, shaking my head as she forces me down beside her. I've only been around Esme a couple of times, but it was long enough to know she's a force to be reckoned with. Her having a plan makes my stomach practically flip right out onto the floor.

"You remember how an auction works, right?"

* * *

 **A/Ns:**

 **Jenny Kate:** *raises eyebrows* Did someone say auction?

 **Jiff:** I vaguely remember something about an auction, yes. I wonder what Esme has in mind.

 **Jenny Kate:** I have no idea (and I lie), but I'm kinda excited to find out!

 **Jiff:** I'm also excited to see what everyone thinks of Bella's POV. Maybe. LOL

 **Jenny Kate:** Several have asked if we'd be giving a glimpse into her world. So, I think there will be those of you out there who benefit from hearing her side of things.

 **Jiff:** Thanks to everyone for sticking with us. We know how hard it is when the characters we root for have to be apart during a story!

 **Jenny Kate:** We'd also like to thank our amazing team for their hard work: beta extraordinaire, GeekChic12; kick-ass pre-readers, Rachel (J Ray Fan Fic) and Pamela! We couldn't and wouldn't want to do this without y'all!

Have a great rest of the week. If everything goes as planned, we'll see ya again on Friday!


	20. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer:** **We don't own Twilight or any other identifiable entities. No copyright** **infringement is intended.**

* * *

 **Chapter 19**

 **EPOV**

 _ **ARE YOU ALMOST HERE?**_

After quickly glancing at the text from my sister, I roll my eyes and toss my phone back in the passenger seat. Alice obviously has something up her sleeve because she's been pestering me all week about whether or not I'll be at this week's Sunday dinner.

Like I'd miss it.

After Dad's scare last week, I'm back to making Cullen Family Dinners a priority.

My stomach drops just thinking back on that day. When I first got the text, my Bella-fueled tunnel vision made me only see the word "emergency". It took me a minute to see the rest of the message, where my sister told me they were taking my dad to Mercy.

In that initial split second, when I thought the message was from Bella, I felt very conflicted. Part of me was elated to hear from her and was ready to meet her at the hotel, but then my common sense kicked in. I was pissed and hurt that she would think I'd immediately jump into our old arrangement without another thought.

Once my vision cleared and I read the rest of the text, all thoughts of Bella fell to the side, and I headed to the hospital. I hadn't even thought about being at Bella's place of employment until I saw Dr. Black step into the waiting room to talk to my mom. I was less than thrilled to see him, but knowing he's one of the best cardiologists in the state made me relieved he was helping my dad.

My dad, who should be able to tell the difference between a heart attack and gas at his age.

Thinking about the expression on my mom's face when he ripped "the big one" in his room has me chuckling to myself. I swear, my family is crazy, but I love them.

Once I knew my dad would be okay, I took a little stroll around the ER to see if Bella was working. Tina busted me and let me know she was on her dinner break. I never did see her there, but I guess it was for the best. I said my piece in my drunken state the other night, and I don't regret it. I mentally kicked myself after realizing I'd cut her off when she was about to say something about her and Jake, but I figure if it was truly important, she'd try to contact me again. Hence the tunnel vision with the emergency text.

The ball is in her court now. I can't keep chasing after her or pining away for her anymore. I have to get my shit together, and if she wants to talk, she knows where to find me.

When I get to my parents' house, my mother greets me at the door, and I make sure to squeeze a little bit harder when she hugs me. For as aggravated as she was with my father's ER fiasco, I know she was worried about him and scared about the what-ifs. She has since put him on a strict diet "just to be safe," she says, but I can't help but wonder if she's doing it to punish him, too.

"Come in, Edward. Your sister is up to something, and I need you to distract her before I lose my damn mind."

"Sure thing, Mom," I say before kissing the top of her head. "How's Dad?"

"Oh, he's fine. He's in the living room watching the game. I'm surprised you didn't hear him cussing from the driveway."

As soon as I'm inside, my mom hurries off to the kitchen, and I head into the living room, where the TV is loud and the voices of my family members are even louder. Both my dad and Jasper are yelling at the referees on the screen, and Alice is practically shouting into her cell phone at some poor soul. When she looks up and sees me, she quickly hangs up and greets me with a hug.

"I'm so happy you're here, Edward! Mom kicked me out of the kitchen, and these two are driving me insane with their basketball nonsense."

"Baby, it's not nonsense," Jasper corrects. "It's the Mavs."

"Hey, son. Good to see you." My father hugs me tightly, and I'm relieved that he still feels strong in my arms. There was a moment when he looked weak and frail when he was in the ER, and it really shook me up. "I want to talk to you about something, Edward. I need your help."

"Sure, Dad. Whatever you need."

He claps his hands together, and with an excited gleam in his eyes, he says, "I need you to hook me up with your bungee-jumping guy."

"The hell you say?" My mother is standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips. I can practically see the steam shooting out of her ears. "Carlisle Anthony Cullen, I forbid you to bungee jump or do any other foolish activity!"

"Woman, you're already making me eat rabbit food. You can't tell me what I can and can't do with my free time."

"Like hell I can't! Just because you passed the biggest fart this side of the Mississippi does not mean you've been given a new lease on life." My mom glares at my dad, and I have a feeling this has been a common argument between them lately.

"You don't get this worked up when Edward does his crazy shit," he accuses.

"I'm always worried about Edward when he goes on his adventures, but not once has he scared me the way you did the other night. I thought I was going to lose you, and I can't go through that again!" Seeing my mom burst into tears catches everyone off guard. It's just not something we've seen her do often, and it makes us all realize how upset she really is.

My dad immediately embraces her, trying to soothe her with soft words and gentle caresses. He leads her down the hall, leaving Alice, Jasper, and me standing in the living room, bewildered.

"What the hell just happened?" Jasper asks, finally breaking the silence.

"I don't know, man. I don't think I've ever seen that kind of outburst from my parents," I admit. They've always been affectionate with each other in front of us, but any less-than-perfect issues they've had in their relationship have always been handled behind the scenes.

"Well, I'm going to go check on them," Alice declares, quickly walking out of the room.

"Leave them be! They'll be fine," Jasper yells to his wife's retreating form. Seeing that his words had no affect on her, he turns to me and asks, "Ready for a beer?"

"Hell yes," I answer, slapping him on the shoulder and following him into the kitchen.

Just as I pop the top off my bottle, my sister rushes in with an annoyed expression on her face.

"What's wrong? Are Mom and Dad okay?" I ask.

"Oh, yeah. They're just fine," she says in an exasperated tone, with a little huff at the end for good measure. "They're currently screwing each other's brains out in the bathroom!"

I don't know why Alice is so surprised. It's not the first time our parents have excused themselves from a room for a quickie. "Well, at least they're not yelling at each other."

Alice sighs. "I guess. I just wish they'd hurry up. I'm starving."

"Let's go ahead and fix our plates. I'm sure they won't mind," Jasper tells her while rubbing her shoulders.

The three of us are seated at the table and about to start eating when my parents saunter into the kitchen. My mom's hair looks like a rat's nest, and my dad's chest is puffed out like a fucking peacock. Neither one of them has the common decency to pretend to look ashamed either.

"Oh, I'm so glad you all went ahead and fixed your plates," Mom tells us. "Carlisle, honey, are you ready for some chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes?"

So much for rabbit food.

Once everyone is settled and tucked into their food, the atmosphere is lighter. It feels the way our Sunday dinners felt before the infamous trip to the ER, and it's a huge relief.

"Edward, dear, don't forget to have your tux cleaned before the bachelor auction next week. I just know you're going to bring in some big bucks for the charity Jasper and I are working with."

 _Shit._ I'd forgotten about the auction and that I'd promised Mom I'd volunteer. The idea of being back up on the block makes me nervous as fuck, I'm not gonna lie, but I can't let Mom and Jasper down. Especially since she just broke down in the living room. Besides, how much harm can a little charity auction be? I'm sure it'll just be a bunch of old women with big pocketbooks.

"No problem, Mom. I'll be there."

She smiles while reaching across to pat my hand. I smile back reassuringly, still trying to choke down the uneasy feeling I get when I think about it.

Alice clears her throat and wipes her mouth with her napkin. I'd say she's nervous by the way she's fidgeting, but I can't imagine what for. "Before we have dessert," she says, pushing her chair back a little, "Jasper and I have an announcement to make." The two of them look at each other and smile before turning back to us and exclaiming, "We're pregnant!"

Pandemonium erupts as my parents start jumping and squealing and crying along with my sister and her husband. I'm extremely happy for Alice and Jasper. Thrilled, in fact, but I can't help but be reminded of how I could've had a family of my own if everything had worked out the way I'd wanted.

The pain in my chest feels like I'm having a heart attack… or maybe it's gas… or maybe it's the fact that I still miss Bella and Luke so fucking much.

Once all the hugs have been given and my mom breaks out champagne for everyone except Alice, I decide now is as good a time as any to share my good news.

"Since we're celebrating," I say after taking a large drink of the bubbly deliciousness, "I have a little announcement of my own."

My mom tilts her head with a warm smile on her face. "What is it, honey?"

"I'm buying a house."

"That's great, Edward," my dad says, reaching over and gripping my shoulder.

"Yep, put an offer on it a few days ago and just got a call that they accepted it." A while back, I had felt completely satisfied with my life, but Bella helped me realize I want more. I want a house that will eventually feel like a home, and I want a family. This is step one.

"Somewhere close?" my sister asks.

"Actually, it's not far from here. Just a couple miles down the road."

"Well, that's wonderful, honey," my mom says, tears springing up in her eyes again, and I'm glad they're happy ones this time. The glisten in her eyes actually travels down her cheek, and I think about getting up and going to her, but my dad's there, pulling her to him.

"Sorry," she says, her voice cracking. "It's just one of the best feelings to have you all here today and with such exciting, wonderful news. I'm just… I'm so happy."

My dad kisses her temple and rubs her shoulder.

I glance over at Alice and Jasper, who are pretty much mimicking them.

I want that.

I want what they have.

And I'll get it one of these days.

I've had a taste, and now I want it all.

.

.

.

Staring at myself in the long mirror of the dressing room my mom put me in, I straighten my bow tie. The nerves I've had for the last week are back, but I can't turn back now. Besides, my mom would kill me if I decided to bolt. And it's for charity, so I'll suck it up, walk out there, smile, turn, and hopefully bring in a little cash.

Emmett and Rose are here tonight. They promised to bid on me if there're crickets. I decided the only thing worse than being bought by a white-haired cougar would be to not be bought at all.

A guy sticks his head in to tell me and another dude that we've got five minutes.

I really wish they wouldn't do that. Something about it makes my palms sweat a little more and my heart beat a little faster. It's like when you're getting ready to jump out of a plane. It's better to not think about it… no countdowns… You just walk out onto the bar, and you jump.

"Right this way, Mr. Cullen," the guy says, leading me to the opening in the curtain.

"Hey, baby," my mom says, sneaking up beside me.

"Hey, Mom." I hug her and take comfort in her being here. "I thought you'd be off… coordinating or whatever."

She laughs and nudges me as we watch one of the other lucky bachelors strut around on the stage. "I just had to come back here and wish you good luck."

"No worries," I tell her with a wink. "I've done this before."

She just shakes her head and laughs. "You've always been my risk taker," she whispers, both of us still watching the stage. "I love that about you."

"I'm sure it's given you more gray hairs than you'd like to admit," I tell her, laughing quietly.

"Eh, maybe, but it's worth it." She wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me closer. "Remember," she whispers, "just because you got your heart broken, that doesn't mean you shouldn't take risks. It's okay to jump."

When I look down, she's staring back at me with more sincerity than I know what to do with. I'm not sure what brought on this pep talk, but it's hitting me right in the chest for some reason. Trying to keep my emotions in check, I simply nod and kiss the top of her head.

"Next up," the emcee says, "we have Edward Cullen. He's a graduate of Texas A&M University…" The rest of his words fall on deaf ears as I step out onto the stage. On the outside, I'm all smiles and head nods. Occasionally, I hear the crowd cheer, and I assume it's the peanut gallery, also known as Emmett, Rose, Jasper, and Alice.

"Take it off," someone shouts from my left, and I know it's Emmett. There're a few laughs from the audience, and several catcalls follow.

The emcee asks me to walk to the edge of the stage and turn to give the audience a good look at what they're bidding on.

I really can't believe I agreed to this. There's a hum—an energy—that feels all too familiar and takes over the room. I lick my lips and let out a deep breath, trying to ready myself.

"Can I get one hundred dollars?" the emcee asks.

"One hundred," a woman's voice in the front row calls out. The lights are bright, but due to her close proximity, I can see her perfectly curled blonde hair. She's probably my mother's age, and I can't help but laugh. This is crazy. Not the craziest thing I've done, but still.

"Two hundred," calls another mature-sounding voice from middle of the crowd.

"Two fifty," calls another from my right.

The fact that there are people bidding and they're not my best friend or my sister has me shaking my head.

"Five hundred dollars," calls a voice from the back.

I strain my eyes, shielding them from the lights to see better.

Swallowing hard, I try to keep it together. I'd know that voice anywhere.

"Five fifty," the blonde in the front says.

"Six," the familiar voice in the back calls.

"Seven," the blonde retorts as she turns in her seat to see her competition, the tone of her voice taking on an offensive edge.

"One thousand dollars," the voice in the back shoots back.

Gasps and whispers cover the room as everyone tries to see who's doing the bidding.

"Do I hear one thousand fifty?" the emcee asks, pleasantly surprised at the money on the table. "One thousand fifty?" the emcee asks once more to the lady in the front row, giving her one last chance to bid, but I don't hear her response. My attention is focused on the back of the room as I watch a man go to the woman in red and take her out the side door. I look around and try to find a fast way off the stage. The guy who had been corralling us backstage walks up and directs me back to where I came from. I try to walk the other way, but he tightens his hold on my arm.

"I need to go to that woman… the one who bid on me," I tell him. I feel somewhat out of breath, but I don't know why, other than I think I've been holding it since the five-hundred-dollar bid was called out. "I need to see her."

"You will, Mr. Cullen," he assures me.

"No, now," I insist, pulling my arm free. "Where did they take her?" I look around for the exit.

"Down the hall to the right," he says, pointing over his shoulder with a puzzled look on his face. "Is everything all right?"

"Yeah," I tell him, practically shoving him out of my way. "It's fine."

It's fine.

There that phrase is again.

But somehow, with her in the room, it feels like it could be fine.

I don't know why she's here.

I don't know why she bid on me.

But she's here.

For me.

And I need to talk to her. I need to see her.

I run down the hall and turn the corner, colliding with brown hair and golden brown eyes and a red dress that might kill me.

I brace her and myself, trying to keep us both upright. My arms are wrapped around her shoulders, and she laughs into my chest.

"Sorry," I say, backing up and giving her some space.

"I'm sorry," she says, and it feels like it means more than "sorry I almost ran you over."

We stand there for a second, taking each other in, a hum in the air, like electricity flowing through currents.

"Thank you," I finally tell her, breaking the silence.

"For what?" she asks, her brows pulling together.

"For saving me from Blondie."

"Oh," she says, dropping her tone and her lids. "She had plans for you." Her laugh takes me aback and sets me at ease a little. I watch as she leans her shoulder against the wall. Her face slowly fades from a laugh to serious business. "Listen." She pauses and looks down toward her feet. I follow her gaze and notice her sparkly red shoes. No combat boots. "I came here tonight because I needed to talk to you."

"You could've just called," I tell her. "It's a lot cheaper than bidding a thousand bucks on me."

I say it like I'm teasing, but I'm serious.

"I know." She nods her head swallows hard. "I just needed to you to listen, and now you don't have a choice, because technically, you're mine for the rest of the evening."

"I see," I say, trying not to let my hopes get too high.

"It's as if we've done this before." She smiles, and I smile. And we both laugh.

"So, you have me. What are you going to do with me?" I ask, cocking my head.

"Can we talk?"

"Sure." I cross my arms over my chest and lean against the wall next to her. Here seems as good a place as any. My self-preservation is kicking in, and as much I'm happy to see her and as much as I want her, I want to hear what she has to say first before I'll agree to anything else.

I'm not chasing.

But I'm not running either.

"Okay," Bella says, looking around, but the hallway is empty. It's just the two of us. She lets out a deep breath, and I hate the pain that's now in her eyes. "I don't know where to start." Her voice is suddenly small and thick with emotion. "But just know that I'm sorry. I know I said so the other night, but I want you to hear it while you're sober." She pauses, taking another deep breath and then releasing it.

"For what?" I ask, trying not to sound defensive but failing, because her just saying sorry isn't good enough. I need answers.

"For everything. For being naïve. For shutting you out. For lying to myself." There are tears in her eyes, and she bites down on her lip to keep from crying. "I'm also really sorry I took Luke away from you." She sniffles and wipes her face with her hand. "He really misses you… and Queenie."

We stand there in silence for a few minutes.

"I have to know why, Bella. Why couldn't you just let me love you?"

She shakes her head, tears beginning to slip out of her big brown eyes and down her cheeks, but she doesn't turn away or hide. "I was scared." She shrugs, and her lip quivers. "I've been scared for so long. After my dad died and my relationship with Jake turned out like it did, I felt like I was better off not letting anyone else in. I don't know why… I thought if I kept everyone at a distance and put armor around my heart, it wouldn't get broken again. The beat-up bug… the combat boots… the club… they were all ways of not attaching myself to people. It worked for a while, but then you walked in, and it happened anyway. I got attached… and then I threw it all away." The sob she lets out nearly severs me in two. "And I'm so fucking sorry."

I stand there, watching her beautiful face crumble in sadness, and it breaks my heart all over again, because regardless of the shit that's happened, I love her.

I love her beat-up bug and her combat boots.

I love the girl who thinks she's scared but is actually really brave.

I love the girl who cares about other people's lives more than her own.

I especially love the love she has for Luke.

I love her fierceness and protectiveness…

and the way she comes undone beneath me.

I love that she'd rather have a hamburger than a salad and that she shoots tequila straight.

She's not perfect.

But I don't want perfect.

I want her.

Flaws and all.

With no more hesitation, I pull her to me, and she slowly begins to melt into my chest. Her shoulders relax, and I feel the shudder in her chest. But what I feel the most is an immediate sense of wholeness. Having her this close is a soothing balm.

I love the way she fits so perfectly in my arms.

As I rest my head on top of hers and hold her tight, my mom's words from earlier come back to me.

 _Just because you got your heart broken, that doesn't mean you shouldn't take risks. It's okay to jump._

When you fall in extreme sports… when your equipment fails you or you crash and burn, the best thing you can do is get back out there and do it again. Because if you don't, fear and what-ifs will keep you from it—from taking risks. And without risks, we never truly live.

"Maybe I should've fought harder," I whisper against her hair. "You fight for what you love. I shouldn't have let my fear of losing you keep me from telling you how I felt."

We stand there for so long my legs begin to burn from holding us both up and staying in the same position. Bella's sobs stopped a while ago, but her hold on me hasn't loosened. I lean back and try to get a look at her face to judge her emotional stability, but she squeezes tighter.

"Don't look at me," she mumbles into my chest, her voice raspy from crying. "I'm hideous."

I laugh and then feel the shake of her shoulders against me. "You're never hideous." It's the truth. Even when I wanted to hate her, I couldn't. I fell in love with the girl who didn't want me to, not to spite her, but in spite of her… in spite of the walls, in spite of the heartache, in spite of the circumstances… I fell in love with her anyway. "I love you," I whisper.

"Still?"

"Always." I sigh, pulling her even tighter. "Even if you don't want me to. Even if you marry Jake."

Fifty years from now, regardless of what happens, there will still be a piece of my heart that she owns.

"I'm not marrying Jake."

I stand a little more still; my heart beats a little faster.

"I was never meant to marry Jake. That was just another wall I put up. I think I always knew it, but it took me a while to see it." She lets out a deep sigh and melts deeper into my chest. "Even if Jake had proposed, I would've said no," she says firmly, pulling her head from my chest and looking me straight in the eye. "I need you to know you're not my second choice or some consolation prize. You're the only choice."

My lips crash into hers, a little more forceful than necessary, because I need to feel her. I need to know this is real—that she's here and that her words aren't some figment of my imagination.

"You love me?" I ask against her lips.

"I do," she says, kissing my jaw.

"Tell me." I _need_ to hear her say it.

"I love you, Edward. I've loved you for longer than I know, because you snuck up on me and jumped over my walls before I even knew what hit me." She kisses me again, and then our lips still as we breathe each other in. "I love you."

* * *

 **A/Ns:**

 **Jenny Kate: *takes shot*** What? ***looks around*** These are celebration shots. Because they love each other and they both pulled their heads outta their asses. I can drink to that. Don't judge me.

 **Jiff: *takes shot* *takes another***

 **Jenny Kate:** ***takes another shot*** Because it's Friday.

 **Jiff:** So, is everyone clear on the texts? It wasn't Bella who sent the original text; it was Alice. Those of you who've been reading our stuff for a while know we like to get a little tricky at times. :-)

 **Jenny Kate:** Thanks for reading! And a special thanks to our awesome team: Geekchic12, Rachel (J Ray Fanfic) and Pamela! We love y'all and are so thankful for your commitment and support!


	21. Epilogue

**Disclaimer:** **We don't own Twilight or any other identifiable entities. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

 **EPILOGUE**

 **EPOV - Seven months later**

"Edward! Luke!"

The cute kid sitting beside me, who's nestled down into the couch, just looks up and snickers. "Maybe she'll think we disappeared," he whispers.

"Doubt it, dude. She probably saw the car in the driveway."

Queenie's feet click-clack on the floor and quickly round the corner, greeting Bella at the door.

"Hey, girl," Bella says. The two of them have formed a female alliance. Somehow Queenie gets votes and shit. Not sure how that happened. "Where are the boys?"

The big ass dog runs back down the hallway and straight into the family room, selling us out.

"She can't not keep a secret," Luke says, giggling beside me.

"Were you two hiding from me?" Bella asks, coming to stand between us and the television.

"No," Luke says in his higher-pitched voice, the one he uses when he's lying. He's a horrible liar, just like his mother.

I smile up at Bella, letting my eyes rake over her. The light blue scrubs are my favorite, and she knows it.

"Why don't you go pick up the Legos in your room? We've got dinner at MeMe and Pop's house tonight," I tell Luke, ruffling his hair.

"Meme and Pop's! Yay!" he exclaims, hands in the air. "Will Penelope be there?"

"Nah, they'll just leave her at home," Bella teases.

Luke's excited behavior halts as he looks up at Bella with wide eyes. "Seriously?"

 _Seriously._ It's his new favorite word.

"Sure, I bet she'll just sleep anyway," I say, joining in the ruse with Bella.

We're horrible parents.

 _Parents._ It took me a while to go from Edward, the cool guy to Edward, the step-dad, but I'm so there. Something that seemed so far away and completely off my radar was exactly what I needed in life. I just didn't know it. At least not until Bella and Luke showed up. She says that I snuck into her life. Well, she snuck into mine too, right through the back door. I wasn't looking for love or a family or any of that, but I found it… or it found me.

"Edward," Luke warns, turning to me. "Aunt Al would not leave Penelope at home alone," he says, shaking his head. "MeMe wouldn't let her."

"You don't think so?"

"No way, dude. Seriously."

"Yeah, true. Well, I guess she'll be there, then."

"Sweet!"

Sweet is another new word he uses constantly. He picked that one up from Emmett. Between Jake, Sam, Emmett, Jasper, and my dad, Luke has a lot of bad influences. It's surprising he's such a good kid.

After he takes off down the hall to his bedroom, Bella looks at me with a smile. "Maybe we should leave him at home?" she teases, plopping down beside me and taking Luke's place under my arm.

"Maybe we should leave him with MeMe and Pops," I counter. "You're off tomorrow, right?" Pulling her to me, I kiss the top of her head and then her temple… and then just below her ear, where it makes her squirm.

"On call," she says, distracted by my lips.

"I'll take it." I move farther down, kissing her neck, nipping at her soft skin. In one swift move, I have her under me, lifting her hips, wanting more than I'm able to give her right now. My cock grinds into her heat anyway, begging for a reunion.

It's been less than twelve hours, but he's needy.

"Mom!" Luke calls from his room, making us freeze. "I can't find my light saber. The blue one!"

"In your closet!" Bella yells back.

We stay still for a moment, listening to a door opening and rummaging and then, "found it!"

Bella laughs, looking up at me. "We've got thirty minutes, and I need a shower."

"I'd like to say I'd join you, but we already know that takes longer than thirty minutes."

"And Luke would be asking what we're doing in the bathroom together," she says, groaning.

Yeah, we've had to get creative with our alone time and our lies that we tell when we get caught.

"Rain check?" she asks.

"I'll be cashing in tonight," I assure her, kissing her so hard she groans in pleasure.

.

.

.

.

"MeMe!" Luke calls as we walk through the door. He sheds his jacket, tossing it on the table in the foyer and jets toward the living room.

I would've been in trouble for that shit when I was his age. "Go hang that jacket up, young man." I can hear my mom's voice plain as day. But not Luke. Nope. The kid walks on water and heals the blind.

"Luke!" My mom calls out in excitement. "I've missed you!"

"You saw me three days ago."

"Three days is too long," she says, squeezing him in a bear hug.

He laughs and then squeals as she tickles his side.

"Mom and Edward said Aunt Al was leaving Penelope at home, but I told them that she wouldn't and that you wouldn't let her. Babies can't stay at home by themselves. Isn't that right, MeMe?"

My mother gives me the look over Luke's head. "That's right. Don't worry. Baby Penelope is in the kitchen with Pops."

"You never left Edward at home by himself when he was a baby, did you, MeMe?"

"Only once," she says, shrugging as she walks by. "But I came right back and got him."

"Oh, that's right," Alice says, chiming in on her way through the living room. "Mom left you in the car seat by the front door." My sister laughs like she's watching Comedy Central.

"That could've scarred me for life," I tell them.

"Oh, you were fine," my mother says, swatting me away. "You don't even remember. The only reason you know is because your father ratted me out."

"Don't let her fool you, son," my dad says, bouncing a small bundle in his arms as he walks slowly around the kitchen. "She was about to have a nervous breakdown when she called me and told me what happened."

"You're over-exaggerating, per usual," my mother says, swatting him with a towel.

"Hey! Man with a baby here!"

"You're fine, aren't you?" my mom coos to Penelope. "You like it when I spank Grandpa, don't you?"

"Hey! Let's keep it PG," Jasper says, walking into the kitchen. "We're not starting sex ed until she's at least old enough to talk."

"What's sex ed?" Luke asks.

"Nothing," we all sing in unison like a choir in church. And everybody says amen.

"Seth W. says he hears his parents having sex," Luke says, settling in at the bar as my mom slides him a pre-dinner cookie. Something else that never would've happened when I was his age.

It's like hell froze over and I didn't get the memo.

"Don't listen to Seth W.," my mom says.

"It's okay for parents to have sex. Right, Mom?" Luke asks.

"Yes."

"How old do you have to be before you have sex?"

"Really old."

"Do you and Pops have sex, MeMe?"

Why?

Why must Sunday dinners always end up in inappropriate conversations? You'd think having Luke and Penelope around would make things different, but nope. Just another generation of Cullens who are going to need therapy.

.

.

.

.

"You sure it's okay for Luke to stay the night?" I ask, helping Bella with her jacket as we ease toward the door.

I'm only asking to be polite.

If she says no, I plan on throwing Bella over my shoulder and making a run for it.

"He's already asleep. Besides, we love it when he stays the night. You know that."

"I know. Just making sure." I kiss her cheek and then lean my head out the door to push the remote start on Bella's SUV. "Oh, and Jake and Sam will be by to get him tomorrow morning. They're taking him to a Comic Con thing."

"How fun!" my mom says, beaming.

She loves Jake and Sam.

"I'll have to get up a little early and make them some banana nut muffins. Sam loves them. He brought my container back by last week and left the sweetest note and a bunch of flowers on the porch," she gushes, placing her hand over her heart. " _So_ sweet."

Yeah, so fucking sweet.

Jake and Sam are becoming the friends you started to hate when you were little because your parents thought they were so well-behaved and that you should act more like them.

A few months ago, they bought my house. They're trying to adopt and needed a bigger place with a yard. Since Queenie and I were basically living at Bella's anyway, I sold them my place. Now, they have coffee and cocktails with my parents on a regular basis. Jasper and Jake golf on Saturdays. Sam has been helping my mom with her new website.

Somehow, we all fit.

It's weird, and it's unconventional and definitely not perfect. But it works.

Luke has three dads, kind of like that '90s television show, except there are three instead of two and we don't all live together. Thank God. He only calls Jake Dad, but that's okay with me. All I care about is that I get to be a part of his life. Everything's better with Bella and Luke…a random Monday night, a random Tuesday night, Sundays at the park, Saturdays hanging out with Emmett and Rose. All of it.

"Thanks again, Esme," Bella says, leaning in for a hug.

After the door closes behind us, we can't get to the car fast enough.

"Drive fast," Bella says, buckling her seat belt.

"Planned on it," I tell her, practically peeling out of the driveway. "We could stop in a back alley for a quickie."

"I want our bed."

 _Our_ bed.

Yeah, I want that too.

Five minutes later, we're pulling into the driveway. Before I even have the car in park, Bella has her seatbelt off and the door halfway open.

We race each other up the sidewalk, and Bella giggles as I struggle to get the door open.

"Stick it in, Cullen. Geez," she teases, her hands sneaking under my shirt and down the waist of my jeans.

"Fuck," I groan, partially at the fucking lock that won't cooperate and partially at the fucking hot woman with her hands on me.

When I finally get it, I pull her in and press her up against the wall, kicking the door closed behind us. Blindly, I move us down the wall and press in the code for the alarm, disarming and then arming it again. Picking Bella up in my arms, I walk quickly to the bedroom, my pants sagging because she's already managed to unbutton them and pull the zipper down.

She's fast.

As I toss her onto the bed, her hair fans out around her. She's beautiful. And she's mine—made just for me.

"God, I love you," I tell her, pulling my shirt off and tossing it onto the floor.

"I love you, too," she says, ridding herself of her jeans and panties. No need for pretenses. We both know what's getting ready to go down here.

I brace my arms on either side of her, caging her in. "I'm gonna need this off too," I say, pulling at the edge of her shirt. "I want to see all of you."

Her face disappears from view for a second as she pulls the shirt over her head. I make quick work of her bra.

Thank you, Lord for front clasps.

We take a second to let our eyes and hands roam, needing a minute to appreciate.

"Kiss me," she finally whispers.

I press my lips into hers, and she opens her mouth, inviting me in. Her hands hold my face to hers. As the kiss intensifies, her fingers find my hair. I love when she's desperate and needy.

I love that she wants me as badly as I want her.

I love that we're always on the same page, whether it's fast and hard or slow and easy.

"I need to feel you inside me."

I love that she knows what she wants and she's not afraid to tell me.

I love that there're no longer any walls.

Just her.

And me.

I pull back and kneel in front of her, wanting to watch as I slide inside. Running my fingers between her slick heat, I hiss. She's so wet, ready for me.

"Fuck, Bella. You feel so good."

Her hips lift up off the bed, forcing my fingers deeper. As she begins to ride my hand, I lean back and enjoy the show, my cock weeping, wanting to get in on the action.

"I'm gonna come," she says breathlessly, gripping the blanket beneath her. "Oh, God, I'm gonna come."

I press my thumb to her clit and continue to pump in and out of her. "You're so fucking beautiful," I tell her. "I love watching you come undone for me."

With a cry, her body tenses, and her walls tighten. Unable to wait another second, I hook my arms under her knees and pull her hips onto my lap, my cock slamming into her, causing her to cry out in pleasure. After a few hard thrusts, her body begins to tremble beneath me.

"Oh, my God," she chants, her hands moving from her sides to above her head as she comes back down from her high and joins in the game, pressing herself down. "Fuck."

Filthy words coming out of that beautiful mouth only makes me thrust harder and faster, leaning back to watch my cock slide in and out of her.

Her eyes meet mine when I look back up at her face, and a smirk pulls at her lips.

"Don't look at me like that, Bella. I swear. I'll lose my shit." My words come out in quick bursts, drops of sweat beading up on my forehead.

"Go ahead," she taunts. "Come for me."

Growling, I tilt my head back and try to hang on as long as possible, willing myself to keep control, because this feels so damn good—she feels so damn good. I don't ever want to stop.

Bella's moans and cries are what push me over the edge. Listening to her pleasure is what makes me come. My balls tighten, and then white light explodes behind my eyes. I swear, it's like I'm transformed into another dimension… some _Matrix_ shit. I ride it out until my cock can't take it anymore. Bella writhes beneath me, milking my orgasm.

When I'm spent and can no longer stay upright, I pull out of her and lie beside her, tucking her against me.

"I love you," I whisper, smoothing her hair.

"I love you," she replies, pressing her cheek against my chest.

Fucking Bella is magnificent. But being with her like this is a close second.

Gone are the days of us meeting up in random hotel rooms.

Gone are the days of built-up walls and no strings attached.

We're all in.

* * *

 **A/Ns:**

 **Jiff: *sings*** "We're all in this to-gether…" ***thanks the Lord for making Zac Efron hot AF***

 **Jenny Kate:** LMAO! I used to be like "Zac Efron, ew.", but now, I'm like "Zac Efron, YUM."

 **Jiff:** He's SO yum. Not as yum as Edward/Rob but still…

 **Jenny Kate:** I think Edward was very yum in this epilogue. I'll have what Bella was having.

 **Jiff:** Yes, please!

 **Jenny Kate:** Speaking of epilogue, I know some people are probably surprised/disappointed that this is the end, but we feel like we're leaving these characters in a good place.

 **Jiff:** Yeah, it's just time to wrap it up.

 **Jenny Kate:** It's also time to wrap up these author's notes. So, we'd like to thank all of you, our awesome readers, for reading our words and sticking with us for another story!

 **Jiff** : GeekChic12, our amazing beta, and Pamela and Rachel, our kick-ass pre-readers, we couldn't have done this without you! TEAM JIFFY KATE 4EVER


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